The Arizona sentinel., 1895-12-14

Of the Gila and Colorado rivers hare for the most 1.art q deep sc scfiInentary soil o3 brownish, gray sandy b m, resting in most places upon a gray clay eubsoi at a depth of from ten to twenty feet below the surface The clay subsoil forms hard pan which is imperyous to water. These soils have been slowly formed by the decomposition of shales, sandstoncs, marls imestones, etc., mixed with or ganie 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 tlof the Colorado and Cia rivers resembles that from the Nile and is quantity varies from O.1 to 0.5 per cent, though the water when even considerably discolor- ei by mud is good to drink resembling in this reg pect the Missouri river water. A chemical analysis Of the sediments of the Colorado and oi the Nile exhibits wonderful similarity in the constituent parts Of each That of the Colorado exhibiting q triao less potassa, most phosphoric acd and csr bonade of limestone beds through which the Coo rado passos In other respects tho sediment Of the Colorado is almost identical with taat Of the Nile It will be noticed therefore, t,at hen this water IS used for irrigation it is superior to artesian waters since it is constantly supplying the land with the richestfcr7izng elements. The soil of the valleys is extremely rich in dedOmposed vegetable matter and uncombined carbon, readily absorbing the aerial gases. suck especially oxygen, which en- tering the soil docomposes the organic matters so that they can be taken up and nourish the plants which may 1e considered leading featur9 in Its | fertility. l. also readily takes up and retains moisture while the frnness of its particles affords every facility for percolation and the activity of capillary action In ts mechanical composition its particles are in a state of very fine division, which renders it more productive than coarser soils It acqurics 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 hcat and cold Besides it's essential con- 1 stituents of water, organic or vegetable matter sand and clay, chemical analysis shows that lime soda rnagnesia, iron, ammonia and available forms of nitrogen, phosphorc acid and potash enter into composition in the proportions best adapted t( add to it's fertility, though, of course, as is alwa3 the case i soil analysis, it's composition varies il different localities and is not always constant.
 The soil of the upands, or mesas, lighter ant more gravelly and in some places of free, loamy c.iearcous character. The mesa lands are warm ant -alerous. They seem especially adapted for thu a5 De, olive and citrus fruits generally. Their soi .teius more nagnesia, lime or chalk than thu f-toln lands It never cracks and retains moisture aiairlb3y a summer. It is of that character whlci ..l proddc- 9 wine that will keep good for fifty O
 a hundred yooIs, and improve annually, Lot beln;
 1le to sour, or on exposure to the air, after on year old to become turbid and change color in tn
 bottle or glass
 We can safely say that the soil of Yuma Count! can nowhere be surpassed, containing as it does al the essential elements of richness and fertility.