The Arizona sentinel., 1895-12-07


 different localities and is not always constant.
 The soil of the uplands or mesas, . lighter and more gravelly and in some places of free, loamy, calcareous character. The mesa lands are warm and generous They seem especially adapted for the grape, olive and citrus fruits generally Their soil contains more magnesia, lime Or chalk than the hottof lands It never cracks and retains moisture admirably in summer. It is of that character which will produce wine that will keep good for fifty or 6 hundred years, and improve annually, not being liable to sour, exposure to the air. after one year old to become turbid and change color in the bottle or glass.
 We can safely say that the soil of Yuma County can nowhere be surpassed, containing as 1t does all the essential clements of richness and fertility.
 FRUIT CULTURE.
 Fruit production throughout Arizona is . sub feet great interest at present, and will no doubt, be the principal industry in Yuma County. The femar kable 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, even 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 rsmunerative character.
 The Commissioner of Immigration in his report, published in 1ss6, 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 overhows and change of channel, the deposit of this rich vegetable matter has form ed soil of extreme fertility; Near the streams it is dark alluvial mold, well adapted to small grains and grasses. Farther back there is 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, Sc rapid and prolific is the growth of the fruts cereals and vegetables that the labor of the cultvator is reduced to the minimum. In nearly all of them two crops year
  of California. The farmers plants cottonwood sapling before his door, and within the year he has a shade tree twenty five feet high! Alfalfa can be Cut six times during the season. and 1t is an actual fact the grape-cuttings have produced within eigh- teen monthsl What State or Territory can make such 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 May l 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 semi-troplc 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 1 the United States can be grown in Arizona, and | nowhere are they found of better quality. "Besides the products mentioned, these semi | tropical valleys produce cotton, sugarcane, to- bacco hemp and rice. With the exception of the sugarcane but little attention is paid to the cuti vation of other staples; but 1t has been demonstrat ed that the soil and climate afe specially adapted to their successful growth. Cotton growing is no l 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 adaptabihty for fruit culture that assures to these valley lands dense pdpula- tiOn and aprosperous future. Almost every var ety known can be raised in their fruitful soils The apple, pear, plum, peach; apricot, quince and ec- 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 -gtow- ing belt of the Pacific Coast show so prolific a yield. The quality is all that could be desired; and the wine, although it's manufacture is yet ex perimental is of a fine flavor, delicious bouquet, and unsurpassed by any native product as table bevetage. Experiments with the raisin-grape have shown that this climate and soil possess every advantage for the production and curing of this staple article of oommefce.
 "Besides the fruits already mentioned, the ange, 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 cu1- tivated at the latter place. The Arizona orange in quality and flavor will compare faVorably with the best California.
 ''In the valleys of the Colorado, the Salt and the Gila rivers, there is room for thousands It is not teo much to say that nowhere within the limits of this broad Union be found more desirable region for the making of home. No laborous clearing of the land is required; it lies almost ready for the blow. Trees and shrubbery have so rapid growth that within eighteen months the immigrant surround his abode with attractions which would require years to mature in less favored climates. Fruits ripen and are ready for market a full month before the California product. The bright sunshine makes life luxury, and the pure, dry atmosphere brings health to all who inhale it For the establishment of colonies, such as we havo made of Southern California arden, Arizons