The Arizona sentinel., 1895-04-20

D the Gih and Ccto.ado rivers have t0I the most part deep scdinentaTy soil of brownish, gray sanfy loaIn, resting, in most places, upon gray clay suhsoi at depth Of from ten to twenty feet below the surface, The clay subsoil forms hard pan which Is mpersious to water. These soils have been slowly formed by the decomposition of shales, sandstones, marls. limestones, etc, mixed with or glnic 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 water of the Colorado and Gila tl-ets resembles that from the Nile, and It's quantity varies from 0.1 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 a wonderful similarity in the constituent parts of each. That of the Colorado exhibiting trihe less potassa, most phosphoric acid and car bonade of limestone beds through which the Colo rado passos 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 is superior to Grtesian waters since it is constantly supplying the land with the richest fertilizng elements. The soil of the valleys is extremely rich in dedomposed vegetable matter and uncombined carbon, readily absorbing the aerial gases such especially, oxygen, which en- tering the soil dccomposes the organic matters so that they can be taken up and nourish the plants which may he considered leading feature in its fertility. It also readily takes up and retains moisture while the irmness of it's particles affords every facility for percolation and the activity of capillary action. In ts mechanical composition its particles are in state of very fine division, which renders it more productive than coarser soils It aequries 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 its essential stituents of water, organic or vegetable matter sand and clay, chemical analysis shows that lime, coda, magnesia, iron, ammonia and available forms of nitrogen, phosphoric acid and potash enter into composition in the proportions best adapted to add to its fertility though, of course, is always the case in soil analysis, its composition varies in different localities and is not always constant.
 The soil of the uplands, or mesas, is lighter and more grayely and in some places of free loamy calcareOus character. The mesa lands 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 It is of that character which will produce wine that will keep good for fifty or hundred years, and improve annually, not being liable to souri, or on exposure to the air, after one year old, to become turbd and change color in the bottle or glass.
 We can safely say that the soil of Yuma County nowhere be surpassed containing as it does all the essential clements of richness and fertility.