The Arizona sentinel., 1896-07-25
FRUIT CULTURE.

Fruit production throughout Arizona is a sub ject greet interest at present, and will no doubt he t!c prncipa. izdy:5tr; ::3 vG-aa County. The remarkable results that have sprung from very superficial and imperfect culture has de monstrated that the soil and climate of Yuma County arc peculiarly adapted for this branch of agricultural enterprise. The development of these resources ;s Of the, utmost importance and is at tracting carefnl attention Pvceriments have been
 made, with care and facts in regard to the culture of different kinds of fruits have been collected which cannot :..ii to convince, tbe most skept icai, of the wonderful superiority of Yuma County over Southern California in fruit growing, and which must lead to large and varied production, of the most remuncrative character.
 "!.;c Commissioner of Immigration in his -cHI07- published in 1888, writes s4s ioi;5ws of the rich valleys Of the Gila, Colorado and calt rivers.
 "Tlc coil of these valleys is among the richest on the continent. It is formed of the detritus which the streams for ages have brought down from their mountain homes in theis tourney to the sea- By constant oycrflaws a.,; change Of channel, the deposit of this rich vegetable matter has form ed a soil of ,xtreme fertility, Near the streams it is dark &lluvial mold, well adapted to small grains and grasses. Farther back there is rich sandy loam mellow and porous, and especially favorable for fruit culture. It has been already demonstrated that the productive capacity of these valleys ;s not surnassed by lands of equal in any part of the United states. So rapid and prolific IS the growth of the fruits, cereals and vegetables that the labor of the cultivator is reduced to the Iazl4um. In nearly all of them two crops year can be growth, and vegetation is month ahead of California. The farmers plants z cottonwood sapng before his door, and within the year he has shade tree twenty-five feet high. Alfalfa can be cut six times during the season, and 1t is an actual faet the g<ape-cuttih9s have produced within eigh- teen months What State or Territory can make such a showing? The climate, it must be renccnl- bercd, is nearly perpetual summer. Snow never fails in these southern valleys. The farmer begins to plant in November, and by the middle of May his harvest is ready. Loses are in bloom, fruit trees are blossoming, and the gTan fields ere sea of green, when the fields of the Eastern farmers are covered with snow and ice,
 Every variety grains, grasses, fruits and vege- tables grown in the temperate and scmi-tropic zones can be produced in the valleys of Arizona. Wheat eorn barley, oats and all the small grains give yield of from twenty-five to fifty bushels to the acre. Alfalfa, clover, timothy, Bermuda and all the cultivated grasses grow lpxuFiantly, the former giving from eight to ten tons to the acre each year, Every variety of vegetable raised in the United States can be grown in Arizona, and nowhere they found of better quality.
 ''Besidcs the products mentioned, these semi tropical yallcys produce cotton, sugaF-eane, to- baceo, hoLlp and rice With the exception of the sugar-cane but little attention is paid to the Gpti vaton Of other staples; but it has been domonstat ed that the scil and climate are specially adapted to their successful growth. Cotton n-growing is no experiment in Arizona, for it is on record that when the Europeans first penetrated this region, they fous.d the Pima Indians wearing fabrics made of cotton grown in the Gfla valley.
 ''But it is their adaptahillty for fruit culture that assures to these valley lands dense popula- tion and iprosperous future. Almost every var ety known be raised in their fruitful soils. The apple, pear, plum, peach, apricot, Gqince and nee tar;nc, of delicious flavor, and give gen erous yield Tine grape Of all varieties is4at home in these sunny wales. No place in the grape-grow- ing belt of the Pacific Coast show so prolific a yield. The quality is all that coplS be desired; and the wine, although it's manufacture is vet ex- perimenta is of fine flavor, delicious bouquet, and unsurpassed by any natiye product {, table beverage. Experiments with the raisn-grape have shown that this climate and soil possess every advantage for the production and curing Of this staple article of commerce.
 'Besides the fruits already mentioned the or ange, lemon, lime, olive, fg, pomegTan2te, -5.nd others of the citrus family can be grown ssiccess- fully in the valleys of Southern Arizona. Orange trees axe.Aosy,iE besring in the Salt River valley and at Tc@:-; -iiie the bcnanas is4l.o tciHg spl- tivated at the latter place. The Arizona orange in quality and flavor will compare favorably with the bcs+ California
 Gin the valleys of the Colorado the Salt and the G;la liyers there is room for thousands It is not teo much to sag that nowhere within the limits of this broad Union can be found @ more desirable region for the maling of a home. No laberious clearing of the land is required; it lies almost ready for the blow. T-ccs and shrubbery have so :rspii Q growth that within eighteen months the immigrant can surround his abode with attractions which would require years to mature in less favored climates Fruits ripen and aEe ready for market e full month h ::-, Gne California product. The h-igbt suDshi;e Hakes life luXurv. and .no pare, dry atmosphere brings health to all who inhale it. For the establish-7 = .y.5ries such we have made of Southern California arden, Arizona 1Iesents unrjvaled oprcrty0ities ThQussnds 9f