The Arizona sentinel., 1895-11-30

of tha Gila and Colorado rivers have for the most part deep sedimentary soil of brownish, gray san1y loam, resting, in most places, upon a gray clay subsoil at depth of from len to twenty feet below the surface, The clay subsoil forms hard been slowly formed by the decomposition of shales, sandstones, marls. limestones etc., mixed with Or ganic and vegetable matter washed down by the mighty rivers and have'been gradually deposited during the course of centuries The fertilizing brownish mud held in the wat tIof the Colorado and Gila rivers resembles that from the Nile and its quantity varies from o.1 to o.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 the constituent parts of each. That of the Colorado exhibiting c trifo less potassa, most phosphoric acid and car bonade of limestone beds through which the Colo rado pessNs 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 artesian waters since it is constantly supplying the land with the rchestfertizing elements. The soil Of the valleys is extremely rich in dedomposed vegetable matter and uncombined carbon, readily absorbing the aerial gases, such especially, as oxygen, which en' tering the soi decomposes the organic matters so | that they can be taken up and nourish the plants which may be considered leading featur. in its fertility. It also readily takes up and retains moisture, while the frmness of its particles affords every facility for percolation and the activity of capillary action. In i ts mechanical composition it's particles in 8 state of very fine division, which renders it more productive than coarser soils 1t acquries heat readily in the daytime, and the loss of the heat at night Is very gradual so that it mains always warm and is not subject to sudden changes of heat and cold Besides its essential con stituents of water, organic vegetable matter, sand and clay, a 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 always the case in soil analysis, it's composition varies in different localities and is not always constant. The soil of the uplands, or mesas, s lighter and more gravely 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 soi l contains more maghesia, lime chalk than the bottom 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 ol a hundred years and improve annually, not being liable to sour, exposure to the air, after on' year old to become turbid and change color in th' bottle or glass.
 We can safely say that the soil of Yuma County can nowhere be surpassed, containing as it does all
 the essential elements of richness and fertility.