The Arizona sentinel., 1895-09-21
FRUIT CULTURE.

rhOl1 COD1OhE.
 Fruit production throughout Arizona is sub
 ject of great interest at present. and will no
 doubt, be the principal industry in Yuma County
 The remarkable results that have sprung from very superficial and imperfect culture has de-
 monstrated that the soil and climate of Yuma
 County are peculiarly adapted for this branch of
 agricultural enterprise. The development of these
 resources is of the utmost importance and is at
 tracting careful attention. Experiments have been
 made, with care, and facts in regard to the culture
 of different kinds of fruits have been collected
 which cannot fail to convince, tbe most skept-
 ical, of the wonderful superiority of Yuma County
 over Southern California in fruit growing, and
 which must lead to a large and varied production,
 of the most remunerative character.
 The Commissioner of Immigration in his report,
 published in 1886, writes follows of the rich
 valleys of the Gila, Colorado and Salt rivers.
 ''The soil of these valleys is among the richest on the continent. It is formed of the detritus
 which the streams for ages have brought down
 from their mountain homes in their journey to the
 sea. By constant overfiows and change of channel, the deposit of this rich vegetable matter has form
 ed a soil of extreme fertility, Near the streams it IS Q uafk alluNlal nOlu, well adapted to Snlall grains and grasses Farther back there is a rich sandy loam, mellow and porous, and especially favorable for fruit culture. It has been already demonstrated that the productive capacity of these valleys is not surpassed by lands of equal area in any part of the United States So rapid and prolific is the growth of the fruits cereals and vegetables that the labor of the cutivator is reduced to the minimum. In nearly all of them two crops year can be growth, and vegetation is one month ahead of California. The farmers plants cottonwood saplng before his door, and within the year he has a shade tree twenty-five feet high! Alfalfa be cut six times during the season. and it is actual fact the grape-cuttings have produced within eigh teen monthsl What State or Territory make such a showing? The climate, it must be remem- bered, is nearly perpetual summer Snow never falls in these southern valleys. The farmer begins to plant in November, and by the middle of Nay his harvest is ready. Roses are in bloom, fruit trees are blossoming, and the grain fields are sea of green, when the fields of the Eastern farmers are covered with snow and ice.
 Every variety of grains, grasses, fruits and vege tables grown in the temperate and semitropic zones can be produced in the valleys of Arizona. Wheat, corn barley, oats and all the small grains give yield of from twenty-five to fifty bushels to the acre. Alfalfa, clover, timothy, Bermuda and all the cultivated grasses grow luxuriantly, the former giving from eight to ten tons to the acre each year, Every variety of vegetable raised in the United States can be grown in Arizona, and nowhere they found of better quality.
 'Besdes the products mentioned, these semi tropical valleys produce cotton, sugar-cane, to- bacco hemp and rice With the exception of the sugarcane but little attention is paid to the culti vaton of other staples but it has been demonstrat ed that the soil and climate are specially adapted to their successful growth. Cotton-growing is no experiment in Arizona, for it is on record that when the Europeans first penetrated this region, they found the Pima Indians wearing fabrics made of cotton grown in the Gila valley.
 ''But it is their adaptabil1ty for fruit culture that assures to these valley lands dense popula- tion and aprosperous future. Almost every ety known can be raised in their fruitful soils The apple, pear plum, peach, apricot, quince and nec tarine, are of delicious flavor, and give gen erous yield. The grape of all varieties is at home In these sunny vales. No place in the grape-grow- ing belt of the Pacific Coast show so prolific a yield. The quality is all that could be desired; and the wine, although its manufacture is yet ex permental, is of fine flavor, delicious bouquet, | and unsurpassed by any native product as table | beverage. Experiments with the raisin-grape nave shown that this climate and soil possess every advantage for the production and curing of 5his staple article of commerce.
 'Besides the fruits already mentioned, the or lnge, lemon, lime, olive, fig, pomegranate, and others of the citrus family, be grown success fully in the valleys of Southern Arizona. Orange trees are now in bearing in the Salt River valley and at Yuma; while the bananas is also being cul-
 vated at the latter place. The Arizona orange in 1uality and flavor will compare favorably with the best California.
 "In the valleys of the Colorado, the Salt and the 5ila rivers, there is for thousands. It is not too much to say that nowhere within the limits of this broad Union can be found a more desirable region for the making of home. No laborious clearing of the land is required; it lies almost ready for the blow. Trees and shrubbery have sc rapid growth that within eighteen months the can surround his abode with attractions which would require years to mature in less favored climates Fruits rpen and are ready for market a full month b. fore the California product The bright sunshine makes life luxury, and the pure, iry atmosphere brings health to all who inhale it. I,l; of foolon bava