The Arizona sentinel., 1895-09-28
FRUIT CULTURE.

FRUIT CULTURE.
 Fruit production throughout Arizona is a sub
 ject 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- monstrated 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 tracting 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- ical, ofthe wonderful superiority of Yuma County over Southern California in fruit growing, and which must lead to a large and varied production, of the most remunerative character.
 The Commissioner of Immigration in his report, published in 1886, writes follows of the rich valleys of the Gia, Colorado and Salt rivers.
 "The soil of these valleys is among the richest on the 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 overfows and change of channel, the deposit of this rich vegetable matter has form ed a soil of extreme fertility, Near the streams it is a dark alluvial mold, we'll adapted to small grains and grasses. Farther back there is a rich sandy loam, 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 cultvator is reduced to the minimum. In nearly all of them two crops year can be growth, and vegetation is month ahead of California. The farmers plants a cottonwood sapng before his door, and within the year he has shade tree twenty-five feet high! Alfalfa be cut six times during the season, and it is actual fact the grape-cuttings have produced within eigh teen months! What State or Territory can make such showing? The climate, it must be remem bered, 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 in bloom, fruit trees are blossoming, and the grain 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 semi-tropic zones can be produced in the valleys of Arizona. Wheat, barley, oats and all the small grains give yield of from twenty-five to fifty bushels to the acre. Alfalfa, clover, timothy, Bermuda and all the cultivated grasses grow luXuriantly, 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 sugarcane, but little attention is paid to the cult vaton of other staples; but it has been demonstrat ed that the soil and climate 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 adaptabilty for fruit culture hat assures to these valley lands dense popula- ion and aprosperous future. Almost every ety known be raised in their fruitful soils. The lppe, pear, plum, peach, apricot, quince and nee arne, of delicious flavor, and give gen. ,rous yield. The grape of all varieties is at home n these sunny wales. No place in the grape-grow- ng belt of the Pacific Coast can show so prolific 'ied. The quality is all that could be desired; md the wine, although it's manufacture is yet is of fine flavor, delicious bouquet, md unsurpassed by any native product as a table beverage. Experiments with the raisin-grape nave shown that this climate and soil possess every advantage for the production and curing of his staple article of commerce.
 ''Besides the fruits already mentioned, the or .nge, lemon, lime, olive, fig, pomegranate, asd others of the citrus family, be grown success ully in the valleys of Southern Arizona. Orange rees are now in bearing in the Salt River valley md at Yuma while the bananas is also being cul- ivated at the latter place. The Arizona orange in Iuality and flavor will compare favorably with the pest California.
 'In the valleys of the Colorado, the Salt and the lila livers there is room for thousands. It is not GO much to say that nowhere within the limits of his broad Union can be found desirable -egion for the making of home. No laborous clearing of the land is required; it lies almost eady for the blow. Trees and shrubbery have so apid a growth that within eighteen months the can surround his abode with attractions which would require years to mature in less favored climates. Fruits ripen and ready for market , full month before the California product. The ,right sunshine makes life luxury, and the pure, Try atmosphere brings health to all who inhale it. Tor the establishment of colonies, such as we have made of Southern California a arden, Arizona
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