The Arizona sentinel., 1895-09-14

O the Cila and Colorado iyers have foI the most part decY sedimentary soil Of 6rowrish, gray sandy m, resting, in most places, upon gray cl2y subsoil at de, ah Of from ten to twenty feet below the surface, The clay subsou ferns hard pan which is iapervious to water. These soils have been slowly formed by the decomposition Of shales, sandstones lnGris limestoncs, etc, mixed with or g2nic and vegetable matter, washed down by the mighty rivers and have been gradually deposited during the course of centuries. The fertilzing brovnish mud held in the wat lof tho Colorado and Giia rivers resembles that from the Nile. and its quantity varies from 0.1 to Q.5 per cent, though the water when even considerably discolor- ed by mud is good to drink, resembling in this res pect the Missouri river water. chemical analysis Of the sediments of the Colorado and of the Nile exhibits wonderful similarity in tine constituent parts of each. That of the Colorado exhibiting Q trife less potassa, most phosphorie acid and car bonade of limestone beds through which the Colo rado passes In other respects the sediment Of the Colorado is almost identical with that Of the Nile It will be noticed therefore, that when this water is used for irrigation it is superior to aresian waters since it is constantly supplying the land with the rchestfertizing elements. Inc soil Of the valleys is extremely rich in dedompoaed vegetable matter and uncombined carbon, readily absorbing the aerial gases, such especially as oxygen, which en- tering the soil. dccompcses the organic matters so that they can be taken up and nourish the plants which may he considered @ leading feature in it's | fertility. It also readily takes up and retains moisture while the frmness of its particles affords every facility for percolation and the activity Of capiary action. Init mechanical composition its particles are in state Of very fine division, which renders it more productive than coarser soils It acquires heat readily in the daytime, and the loss of the heat at night is very gradual that it re- mains always warm and is not subject to sudden changes of heat and cold Besides it's essential con | stituents of water, organic vegetable matter, sand and clay chemical analysis shows that lime, soda, magnesia, iron, ammonia and available forms of nitrogen, phosphoric acid and potash enter into composition in the proportions best adapted to add to it's fertility though, of course as is aIway the case in soil analysis its composition varies in different localities and is not always constant.
 The soil of the uplaads, 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 bottom lands It never cracks and retains moisture admirably in summer. It is ofthat character which will produce a wine that will keep good for fifty or a hundred years, and improve annually, not being liable to souri, or on exposure to the air. after one
 ear old, to become turbid and change color in the bottle or glass.
 We can safely say that the soil of Yuma County ,Il the essential elements of richness and fertility.