The Arizona sentinel., 1895-01-05

{, the ella and COLORADO ivcrs have foI the most
isft deep ssl;mcntsry soil Of hrownish, gray
sanity 10 N, resting, in mo=t plaaes, upon cry
clay suhsoil at 4 Go tn OF from er to twenty feet
below the surface, The clay subsoil + rms hard.
pan whi n is impervious to water. These soils have
been slowly formed by te decomposition of shales
sandstoncs, marls limestones Ct. mixed with or
glnic and vegetable mater, washed down by the
mighty rivers aud have been gradually deposited
during the course OF centuries. The fe;tili-ing
brownish mud held in the water OF the Colorado
and ella rivers resembles that from the Nile, and
its quantity varies from O. to O.5 per cent,
though the water when even considerably discolor-
cd by mud is good to drink, resembling in this
poet the Missouri river watcr. oh smica analysis
Of the sediments Of the Colorado and OF the Nile
exhibits 4 wonderful similarity in the constituent
parts Of each. That Of The Colorado exhibiting a
trife less potassa, most phosphorus acid AMI car
bonade Of limestone beds through which the Colo
RADIO pass 5. In other Respects tbs sediment OF the
Colorado is almost identlc with that of the Nile
1t will be ntced therefore, that when this water is
used for irrigation it is superior to artesian waters
since it is constantly supplying the land with the
richest fer izing elements. The soil OF the valleys
is extremely rich in dedomposcd vegetable matter
AMI uncoltined c'rbon, readily absorbing the
aerial gases. such especially, as oxygen, which en-
terng the soil, decomposes the org mi; matters SO
that they can Be taken up an nolrish the plants
which may We considered leading featur; in Its
fertility. 1t also readily takes up and retains
moisture while the Grmness Of its particles affords
every facility for percola;ion and the activity Of
capillary action. In Is mechanical compo5iionits
particles are in a state of very enc division VIII; n
renders it more productive than coarscr soils 1t
acquires heat readily in the daytime, AMI the loss
of the heat at night is very gradual so that it re
ma ms always warm and is not su5jecs to sudden
changes of heat and cold Besides its essential
stituents Of water, organic or vegetable matter,
sand AMI clay, chemical analysis shows that lime,
soda, magnesia, iron, ammonia am available forms
of Nitrogen, phosphoric acid ami potash enter into
compost ion in tn proportions best adapted to
add to It's fertility, though, OF course, as is always
the case in soil ana ysi, its composition varies in
different localities and Is not always constant
The soil Of the uplands, or mesas is lighter ana
more gravely aud in some ri ices OF free, loamy,
calcareous character. The mesa lands are warm and
generous. They seem especially ai}psed fer the
grape, olive and citrus fruits generally Their soil
contains more n2SheSla, Hme or chalk thah tue
bottom llnls. It never cracks an retains moi ture
admir- IDLY in summer It i; Of that character which
viii prodle a wine that VIII keep good for fifty or
a hundred years, and improve annua y, not being
liable to sour or exposure to the ar, after one
year oil, TO BECOME tur5d and change color in the
bottle glass.
We can safely shy thai the soil of Yumr County
can nowhere be surpassed, containing sit dos al
the essential elements of richness and fertility.