The Arizona sentinel., 1895-04-13

the Gila and Colorado rivers have for tho most part deep seiimentary soi Of brownish, gray saniy lo,1n, resting, in most places, upon a gray elsy 9u6sol at depth oi from ten to twenty feet below the surface, The clsy subgoil forms hard pan wii@!. is imperyoas to water. These sells have been slowly formed by the decomposition of Shales, sard5tones, marls. raestones, etc, mixed with or
 gAnic and vegetable matter, washed down by the
 mighty rivers and have been gradually deposited Curing tLe course of centuries. Tie fertilzing 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 05 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. A 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 a tTihe less po:assa, most phosphoric acid and car bonade of limestone beds through which the Colo rado pass's. h 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 1t Is constantly supplying the land with the richest fertlizing elements The soil of the valleys is extremely rich in dedomposed vegetable matter and uncombined carbon, readily absorbing the aerial gases, such especially, oxygen, which en tering the soil dceomposes the organic matters go that they can 5e taken up and nourish the plants which may be considered leading feature in it's fertility. It also readily takes up and retains moisture, while the rmness of Its particles affords every facility for percolation and the activity of capillary action. In Is mechanical composition it's particles are in state Of very fine division, which renders it more productive than coarser soils It acquircs 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 its essential con- 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 the proportions best adapted to add to it's fertility, though, of course is always the in soil analysis it's composition varies in different localities and is not always constant.
 The soil of the upsnds, or mesas, is lighter and more gravelly and in some places of free, loany, calcareous character The mesa lands are warm and generous. They seem especially adapted for the grape, olive and citrus fruits generally. Their soil cehIlhS more InagneslS, hme or cnalA thah tne bottom lands. It cracks and retains moisture admirably in It is of that character which will produce wine that will keep good for fifty 8 hundred years, and improve annually, not being liable to souri, or on exposure to the air, after year old to become turbid and change color in the bottle or glass.
 We can safely say that the soil of Yuma County can nowhere be surpassed containing as it does all the essential elements of richness and fertility.