The Arizona sentinel., 1896-11-14

of thepCIla and Colorado rivers have for the most tart dcep sedirncnsary soil of hrownish, gray san.iy 10 m. resting, in most paQee, upon a gray clay subsoi at de th of from 'en to twenty feet below the surface, The clay subsoil forms hard pan wh ;h is mperviors to water. These soils have been slowly formed by the decomposition of shales, sandstones. marls. limestones, et:, mixed with or glnic and vegetable matter, washed down by tho mighty rivers and have been gradually deposited turing the course of centuries. The fertilizing Srownish mud held in the wat ,Iof the Colorado and Gila rivers resembles thst from the Nile, and it's quantity varies from o. 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. 4 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 triac less pOtlssa, most phosphOFic acid and bonade of limestone beds through which the Colo rado pasSs In other respects tho sediment of the Colorado is almost identical with that of the Nile It will be ticed therefore, that when this water is used for irrigation it is superior to artesjan waters since it is constantly supplying the land with the richeSteriliLng elements. The soil Of the valleys is extremely rich in dedomposed vegetable mat CT and unco bined c.rbon, readily abso bing the aerial gases such especially, oxygen, which en- tering the soil, decomposes the orglni: matters so that they can be taken up an nolrsh the plants which may ne considered a leading featur. ip It's fertility. It also readily takes up and retains moisture, while the rmness of it's particles affords every facility for percoa:ion and the activity of capillary action. In it's mechanical composition its particles a state Of Vsry- fucG xuhi h renders it more productive than coarser soils It a qurics heat readily in the daytime and the loss of the heat at night is very gradual 50 that it mains always warm and is not subject to sudden changes of heat and coll 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 co nPo~i ion in tn proportions hest adapted to add to it's fertility, though, of course is always the cass in soil ysis, it's composition varies in different localities and is not always constant
 The soi the uplands, messs, lighter and more gravelly and in some pl ces of .ree loamy calc'reous character. The mesa lands are warm and generous They seem especially ailpsed for the grape, olive and citrus fruits generally. Their soil contains more magnesia, lime or chalk than the bottom llnjs. It never crlcks an retains moi ture admirably in summer It is of that character which will produc wine that will keep good for fifty 8 hundred years, and improve Annua ly, not being liable to sour, exposure to the ar, after year old, L. be ome turbid and change color in the bottle or glass.
 We can safely say that the soil of Yuma County can nowhere be surpassed containing it does all the essential elements of richness and fertility.