The Arizona sentinel., 1896-07-11

of thel G;la and Colorado rivers have for the most part a deep sedimentary soil of brownish, gray sandy loam, resting, in most places, upon gray clay subsoil ct depth of from ten to twenty feet below the suEfaca, Ike clay subsoil forms hard pan which ;s impervious to water. These soils have been slowly formed by tAe decomposition of shales sandstones, marle. limestones etc.. mixed with or ganic and vegetable matter, washed down by the mighty rivers and have been gradually deposited during the coarse of centuries, The fertilizing brcwnish mud held in the wat siof the Colorado and Gila rivers resembles that from tic Nile, and its quantity varies from 0.I to c.5 pe. 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 tlse Colorado and of the Nile exhibits wonderful similarity in the constituent parts of each. That Of the Colorado exhibiting a trile less potassa, most phosphoric acid and car bonade of limestone beds through which the Colo rado pasSos 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 Uod for irrigation it is superior to artesian waters since t is constantly supplying the land with the riche5tfe-lizing elements. The soil of the valleys is extremely rich in dedomposel vegetable matter and uncombined carbon, readily absorbing the aerial gases such especially as oxygen, which en- tsriag the soil decomposes the organic matters so Chat they can be taken rp anI nourish the plants wEich may DC considered leading featur, in its fertility. It also readily takes up and retains moisture, while tho frmness of it's particles affords every facility for percolaion and the activity Of capillary action. In ts mechanical composition it's particles are in state of very fine division which renders 1t more productive than coarser soils It acquires heat readily in the daytime, and the loss of the heat at night is very gradual, that it re- mains always warm and is not subject to sudden changes of heat and cod Besides it's essential con- stituents of wajer, organic vegetable matter, sand and clay, Q chemical analysis shows that lime, soda, maGnesi2, iron ammonia and available forms of nitrogen, phoSphoric acid and potash enter into composition in the proportions best adapted to add to its fertility, though Of course is always the casa n soil analysis, it's composition varies in different localities and is not always constant
 The soi the uplands, mesas, lighter and more gravely and in some places of a .ree, 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 It never cracks and retains moisture admirably in summer It is of that character which will p-o4rcc vine tlAt w;!i keep good for fifty or hundred years, and improve annually, not being liable to sour, or on exposure to the air. after year old,,to become surbd and change color in the bottle or glass.
 We can safely say that the soil of Yuma County nowhere be surpassed containing as it does all the essential elements of richness and fertility.