The Arizona sentinel., 1895-06-01

o the Gila and Colorado rivers have for the most part deep sedimentary soil of brownish gray sandy To m, resting, in most places, upon a gray cla subsoil at a de .th of from ten to twenty feet below the surface, The clay subsoil ferns hard pan which is imperyious to water. These soils have been slowly formed by the decomposition of shales, sandstones, marls limestones etc, mixed with or ganic 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 rivers resembles that from the Nile, and its quantity varies from O.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 wonderful similarity in the constituent parts of each. That of the Colorado exhibiting 6 trife less potassa, most phosphoric acid and ear 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 it is superior to artesan waters since it is constantly supplying the land with the richest fertiIizing elements The soil of the valleys is extremely rich in dedomposed vegetable matter and unconbined carbon, readily absorbing the aerial gases, such especially, oxygen, which en- tering the soil, decomposes the organic matters that they can be taken up an1 nouriSh the plants which may ne considered a leading featur, in its fertility. It also readily takes up and retains moisture while the frmness of its particles affords every facility for percoation and the activity of capillary action In ts mechanical composition its particles in a state of very fine division, which renders it more productive than coarser soils It acquires heat readily in the daytime, and the loss of the heat at night is very gradual, that it mains always warm and is not subject to sudden changes of heat and cold. Besides it's essential stituents of water, organic or vegetable matter, sand and clay, chemical analysis shows that lime soda magnesia, iron, ammonia and available forms of nitrogen phosphoric acid and potash enter into composition in tn proportions best adapted to add to its fertility, though of course, is always the case in soil analysis, it's composition varies in different localities and is not always constant.
 The soil of the uplands, mesas, is lighter and more gravelly and in some places of free, loamy calcareous character. The mesa lands are warm and generous. They seem especially adapted for the grape olive and citrus fruits generally. Their soil
 contains more magnesia, lime chalk than the bottom lands. It never cracks and retains moisture admirably in summer It is of that character which will produc a wine that will keep good for fifty hundred years, and improve annually, not being liable to sour, or on exposure to the air, after year old, to become turbd and change color in the bottle or glass.
 We safely say that the soil of Yuma County nowhere be surpassed containing as it does all the essential elements of richness and fertility.