The Arizona sentinel., 1895-06-15
FRUIT CULTURE.

FRUIT CULTURE.
 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-
 morstrated that the soil and climate of Yuma County peculiarly adapted for this branch of agricultural enterprise. The development of these
 resources is of the utmost importance and is at tracing 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
 icaI. atthe wonderful superiority of Yuma County over southern California in fruit growing, and which must lead to a large and varied production, of the most remuneratyo character.
 The commissioner of Immigration in his report, published in sS6 writes as follows of the rich Ha,lleyso -he Gila, Colorado and Gait rivers.
 The soil of these valleys is among the richest on Che 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 oyeriows and change of channel, the deposit Of this rich vegetable matter has form ed a soil of ,xtreme fertility, Near the streams it
 is a dark alluvial mold, well adapted to small grains and grasses. Farther back there is rich sandy loanl, 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 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 cultyator is reduced to the minimum In nearly all of them two crops a year can be growth, and vegetation is month ahead of California. The farmers plants a cottonwood saplng before his door, and within the year he has a shade tree twenty-five feet hiah, Alfalfa be cut six times during the season, and is actual fact the grape-cuttings have produced within eish teen months. What State or Territory can make such a showing? The climate, it must be remem- . bercd is nearly perpetual summer. Snow never falls in these southern valleys. The farmer begins to plant in November, and by the middle of May | his harvest is ready. Roses are in bloom, fruit | trees qre blossoming, and the grair fields 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 ! be produced in the valleys Of Arizona Wheat, corn barley, oats and all the small grains | give yield of from twenty-five to fifty brehels to the acre. Alfalfa, clover, timothy, Bermuda and ! all the cultivated grasses grow luxuriantIy, 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 are they found of better quality.
 Besides the products mentioned, these semi tropical valleys produce cotton, sugar-cane, to- | bacco, hemp and rice With the exception of the | b7,+I yaton 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 adaptabillty for fruit culture 1 that assures to these valley lands dense popula- ton and prosperous future. Almost every var iety known can be raised in their fruitful soils The apple, pear, plum, peach, apricot, quiace and nee tarine, are of delicious faeor and give @ gen erous yield. The grape oi all varieties i~at home . in these sunny rales. No place in the grape-grow- ing belt Of the Pacific Coast can show so prolific a yield. The quality is all that could be desired; and the wine, although its manufacture IS yet ex- perimental, is of fine flavor, dsiicous bouquet and unsurpassed by any native product as table beverage. Experiments With the Eaisin-grapo . have shown that this climate and soil possess every advantage for the production and curing Of . this staple article of commerce.
 ''Besides the fruits already mentioned, tho or ango, lemon, lime, olive, fig, pomegrauate, and . others of the citrus family, can be grown snccess- fully in the valleys Of souJbeu Arizona Orange trees are now in bearing ia the Salt River valley and at Yuma; while the bananas is also being cu.. tivated at the latter place. The Arizona orange in quality and flavor will compare iayorably with the best California.
 ''ln the valleys Of the Colorado, tl. Salt and the Gila rivers, there is room for thousands It is not too much to say that nowhere wttain the limits of this broad Union can be found more desirable region for the making of 0 home, No Iaborious clearing of the land is required; it lies alu,os' ready for the pIow. frees and -IrI5lcTy have so rapid growth that within eighteen months the immig grant can uTrouud his abode with attractions which would require years to mature in legs favored climates. Fruits r,pen and are ready for market a full month D fore the California product The bright sunshine makes lie luxury, and the pure, dry atmosphere brings health to all who iuhale it. For the establishment of colonies, such as we have made of Southern California arden, Arizona present. uurjyalcd opportunities Thousand. of