The Arizona sentinel., 1896-10-03

Of the GilG sad Colorado rivers h2ve for the most part deep sedhnentary soil of Drownish, gray sandy lo'Ia, resting, in moSS places, upon gray eaF subsoi! at depth of tnom 5en to twenty feet below the surface, The clay subson forms hard pan which is impervious to water. These soils have been slowly formed by the decomposition of shaos, ssn4stcncs, mErls. nmestones, etc, mixed with or glnic and vegetable matter, washed down by the mighty ri5ers and have been gradually deposited during the course of centuries. The fertilizing brownish mud held in the wat of the Colorado and Gila rivers resembcsthat from the Nile, and its quantity varies from O. to O5 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 trife less potassa, most phosphoric acid and car
 bonade of limestone beds through which the Colo rado passes. 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 artesian waters since it is constantly supplying the land with the rlchestertilizng elements The soil of the valleys IS extremely rich in dedomposed vegetable matter and uneonbined carbon, readily absorbing the aerial gases, such especially, as oxygen, which en- tering the soil, dccomposes the organic matters so that they can be taken up and nourish the plants which laay 1e considered a leading featur3 in its fertility. It also readily takes up and retains moisture, while the irmness of its particles affords every facility for percolation and the activity of capillary action. In ts mechanical composition it's OartfCnS m a state oF oh 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 its 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 tn proportions best adapted to add to it's fertility though, of course, is always the casa in soil analysis it's composition varies in different localities and is not always constant.
 The soi the uplands, or mesas, lighter and more gravelly and in some places of a 1ree, 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 or chalk than the bottom lands. It cracks and retains moisture admirably in summer It is of that character which will produc wine that will keep good for fifty or hundred years, and improve annually, not being liable to sour, or on exposure to the ar 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.