The Arizona sentinel., 1896-04-18

of sfei Gfsa and Colorado rivers have for the most part a deep sedimeEtary soil of brownish, gray san1y boam, resting, in most places upon gray clay subsoil at depth of from ten to twenty feet below the surface, The clay subsoil forms hard pan which is imperviouS to water. These soils have been slowly formed by the decomposition of shales, sandstones marls. limes tones, etc. mixed with or glnic 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 wat Clof 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. 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 trifc less potassa, most phosphoric acid and car bonadc of limestone beds through which the Colo rado paSs"s. 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 aresan waters since it is constantly supplying the land with the richestferilizng elements The soil of the valleys IS extremely rich in dedompOSed vegetable matter and uncombined carbon, readily absorbing the aerial gases, such especially, as oxygen, which tering the soil, decomposes the organic matters that they can be taken up anl nouriSh the plants which may De considered leading featur, in It's fertility. It also readily takes up and retains moisture, while the Fmness of its particles affords every facility for percoation and the activity of capillary action. In ts mechanical composition its particles are 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 so that it re- mains always warm and is not subject to sudden changes of heat and cold Besides it's essential con- stituents of water, organic 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 tht proportions best adapted to add to its fertility, though, of course, is alway the casG in soil analysis its composition varies in different localities and is not always constant. The soil Of the uplandS, or mesas, lighter and more gravelly and in some places of lree, loamy, calcareous character. The mesa lands are warm and generous. They seem especially adopted 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 producs wine that will keep good for fifty or hundred years, and improve annually, not being liable to sour, exposure to the air. after one 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.