The Arizona sentinel., 1896-07-04

of thei ella and Colorado rivers have for the most
part deep sedmentary soil OF brownish, gray
sandy losm, 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 imperyious to water. These soils have
been slowly formed by the decomposition of shales
sandstones, marls lmestoaes, etc., mixed with or
g1nic 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 vat tIof the Colorado
and ella rivers resembles that from the Nile, and
its quantity varies from OIL to 0.5 per cent,
though the water when even considerably discolor-
ed by mud is good to drink, resembling in this
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 a
trife less potassa, naost phosphoric acid and car
bouade Of limestone beds through which the Colo
RADIO passes In other respects the sediment of the
Colorado is almost identical with that of the Nile
1t will be noticed 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 fertihzing 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, decomposes the organic masters SO
that they can be taken up and nourish the plants
which may be considered leading feature in its
fertility. 1t 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 its
particles are in state of very fine division which
renders it more productive than coarser soils 1t
acquires heat readily in the daytime and the loss
of the heat at night is very gradual that il 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, a chemical analysis shows that lime
soda, magnesia, iron, ammonia and available forms
Of nitrogen, phosphoric acid and potash enter into
composition in thu proportions best adapted to
add to its fertility, though, of course is Away
the case in soil analysis, its composition varies in
different localities and is not always constant.
The sol the uplandS, or mesas, lighter and
more gravelly and in some places of q lree, 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. 1t never cracks and retains moisture
admirably in summer 1t is of that character which
will produce wine that will keep good for fifty or
hundred years, and improve annually, not being
liable to souri, exposure to the air, after one
year old, to become turbd and change color in the
bottle or glass.
We can safely say that the soil of Yuma County
ha
the essential clements of richness and fertility.