The Arizona sentinel., 1895-12-14
FRUIT CULTURE.

Fruit production throughout Arizona is sub ice. 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- -a8ustrated that the soil and climate of Yuma County are peculiarly adapted for this branch of tieuItural enterprise. The development of these resources is of the utmost importance and is at .acJIng carafuI attention. Experiments hate been made with carc and facts in regard to the culture of different kinds of fruits have been collected which cannot fail to convince, even tbe most skept eal, of the wonderful superiority of Yuma County | over Southern California in fruit growing, and which must lead to large and varied pgoduction oi the most renunerativc character.
 The Commissioner Of Immigration in his report, published in S8G writes as follows of the rich valleys of the cila. Colorado and Galt rivers.
 ,sThe soil of these valleys is among the richest on the continent It is formed of the dotrtu5 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 soil of ,Xtreme fertility, Near the streams II is 2 dark a;luvial mold well adapted to slnait srafns and grasses. Farther back there IS rlch sandy Ioa.rl, 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 area in any part of the United States. So rapid auG prolIlc
 is tbe growth of the fruta, 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 one month ahead of California. The farmers plants cottonwood sanling before his lCor and within the year he has f 2 shade tree twenty-five feel Lieh, Alfalfa can be
 cut six times d1rng the season. and it is an actual
 fact the crano-cuttings have produced within eigh- U teen months, What State or Territory can make e 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 are in bloom, frui
 trees are blossoming, and the grair fields are SC; y of green, when 4he fields of the Eastern farmers , are covered with snow and ice.
 Every variety of grains, grasses, fruits and VeGe
 tables grown il the temperate and semi tropl'
 zones can be produced in the valleys Of Arizona $ Wheat corn barley, oats and all the small grain ive yield of from twen 4y-iive to fifty bushels t' e the acre. Alfalfa, clover, timothy, Bermuda an,
 all the cultivated grasses grow luxuriantiy, th
 former giving from eight to ten tons to the acI
 each year. Every variety of vegetable raised Il e the United states can be grown in Arizona, an'
 nowhere are they found of better quality.
 s.Bes;des the products mentioned, these semi
 tropical valleys produce cotton, sug7r-cane, to u bacco. hemp and rice. With the exception of tn e sugarcanc but little attention is paid to the cul
 yation of other staples but it has been demonstrat ed that the soil and climate specially adapto to their successful growth. Cotton growing IS n experiment in Arizona, for it is on record tha y when the Europeans first penetrated this region d they f5nnd the Pima Indians wearing fabric m made oc cotton grown in the Gila valley
 e.But it is their adaptahhty for fruit cultur that assures to these valley lands dense popula "A finn and aprosperous future. Almost every val ia+v known can be raised in their fruitful soils. h le apple, pear, plum, beach, apricot quince and ne Il tariDe. are of delicious flavor, and give gel
 erou, yield. The grape Of all varieties iS at hon
 in tines. sunny wales. No place in the grape-grov
 jng belt of the Pacifc Coast show so prolific
 yield. The quality is all that could be desire; or and the y.fne although it's manufacture IS vet e !e pcrfmeu5al, is of fine flavor, delicious bouque ,e and ,;nsirrsssed by any native product as tab l beverage Exp p-rimeut5 with the raisin-gral have shown that this climate and soil posse 0' every adv vantage for the production and curing IT, this staple article of commerce.
 e. ''BasiLes lha frlits already mentioned, the O t3 auge, lemon, lime, olive, fig, pomeSranate, ar a others Of the citrus family, can be grown succe'
 fully in the valleys of Southern Arizona. Orane H. trees are now ia bearing in the Salt River valle he and al Y;l-la: while the bananas is also being GU ot tvated at tre l- ter place. The arizona orange !. and flavor will compare fayoraby with u
 best caljforaia.
 i ln the valley Of the Colorado, the Salt and |! h Gf3s ivers there is room for thousands. It is n on too much to say that nowhere within the limits I this broad Union can be found more de,irab
 re.ian for the making ot home. No laborio' "I clearing of the land is required; it lies almo
 ready for the blow. Trees and .hrubhery have
 raDil a growth that within eighteen months q
 imu;crant can surround his abode with attraction yer ;cs would require years to mature in less favor lie climates. Fruits rpen ana are ready for marx Be, il full month fore the California product Y ,ns bright sunshine makes life lu&ury, and the puF fc. dry atmosphere brings health to all who ihhale 2s For the establishment of colonies, suca as We ha ts made of Southern California arden, ArizO' nd presents unriv9Icd opportunities Thousands