The Arizona sentinel., 1896-07-11
FRUIT CULTURE.

Fruit production throughou5 Arizona is sub | iect great interest at present, and will
 doubt, be the principal industry in Yuma County. i The remarkable results that have sprung from Tory superficial and imperfect culture has de-
 monstrated that the soil and climate of Yuma
 County Aro peculiarly adapted for this branch Of
 agricultural enterprise. Tine development of these l resources is Of the utmost importance and is at
 tracting carefnl attention. Experiments have been
 made, with care and facts in regard to the culture 1 Of different kinds of fruits have been collected
 which cannot fail to convince, even tbe most skept-
 ical, ofthe wonderful superiority of Yuma County
 over Southern California in fruit growing, and
 which must lead to a large and varied production, { of the most remuncrative character.
 The Con missioner of Immigration in his report,
 published in ss3, writes as follows of the rich
 valleys of the Gila. Colorado and Calt rivers.
 "Thc soil of these valleys is among the richest
 on the continent It is formed of the Getritus
 which the streams for ages have brought down from their mountain homes in their journey to the
 sea. By constant over1ows and change of channel,
 the depo.t Of this rich vegetable matter has form
 ed soil of ,Xtremc fertility, Near the streams it ! is darl, ellryiaI mold, well adapted to small , { . $ sandy loan, mellow and porous, and especially favorable for fruit culture. It has been already demonstrated that the productive capacity of these valleys is not surpassed by Ian Is of equal in any part of the United States So rapid and prolific is tho growth of the fruits, cereals and vegetables that the labor Of the cultivatnr is re!uee1 to t,c minimum. Ip nearly all Of them two crops year aan be growth, and vegetation is month ahead of C+lifOrni,. The farmers plants cottonwood saplicg Jc:ore lis door, and within the he has i shade tree twenty-five feet high Alfalfa can be cut six times during the selsol ani i5 i5 actual fact the grapccuttipgs have produced within egh- teen morths. What State or Territory can make such showing? The climate, it must be renlem- bered, is nearly perpetual summer. Snow never falls in these southern valleys. The farmer begins to plant in November, and by the middle of Way his harvest is ready. Roses are in bloom, fruit trees are blossoming, and the grair fields are 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 anI scmi-tropic zones can ba produced in tho valleys O. Arizona. Wheat corn bHrlev, Oa1s and all the small grains give yield of from twen y-fve to fifty bushels to the acre. Alfalfa, clover, tiIlothy, Bermuda and all the cultivated grasses grow luxurianty, tbe former giving from eight to ten tons to the acre each year, Every variety of vegetable raised in 1 the United States cen be grown ill Arizona, and nowhere they found Of better quality.
 "Besdes the products mentioned, these semi tropical valleys produce cotton, sugar-cane, to- bacco hemp and rice With the exception of the sucarcaue but little attention is paid to the cuti varion of other staples; but it has been deonstrat ed that the soil and climate are specially adapted to their successful growth. Cotton growing is no experiment in Arizona, for it is on record that when the Europeans first penetrated this region, they found the Pima Indians wearing fabrics made of cotton grown in the Cila valley.
 "But it is their aiaptability for fruit culture that assures to these valley lands dense popua i, tion and aprosperous future Almost every var iety known be raised in their fruitful soils The apple, pear, plum, peach, apricot quinee and nee tarinc, are Of delicious flavor, and give gen erous yield The grape of all varieties i> at home in these sunny wales. No place in the grape-grow ing belt Of the Paciii; Coast can show prolific yield. The quality is ell ta&t coull be desired; and the wine, although its manufacture is vet cx- | pcrimental, is of fine flavor, delicious bouquet, and unsurpassed by any native product tablet beverage. Experiments with the raisin- grape have clown that this climate and soil possess every advantage for the production and curing of this staple article of commerce.
 "BasJes The fruits already mentioned, the or ] ange, lemon, lino, olive, fg, pomegranate, end others of the citrus family, be grown success flliy in the valleys of Southern Arizona Orange l trees are now in bearing in the Salt River valley and at Yuma while the bananas is also being cul t> ated at the latter place. The Arizona orange in quality ard flavor will compare favoraby with the best California.
 'In the valleys 0; the Colorado, the Salt and the ! Gila Iivers there is room for thousands. It is not too much to say that noWlsre within the limits of this broad Union be found a mogs desirable ! region for the making of a home. No lGborious clearing of- Che land is required; it lies almost ready for the blow. Trees ard shrubbery have so l rapid @ growth that within eighteen months the ! immigrant can surround his abode with attractions scli would require years to latur' in less favored climates Fruits ripen and are ready for market a full month b fore the California product. The ]. bright sunshine makes life luxury, and the pure, dry atmosphere brings health to all who inhaIe it. For the establishment of colonies, such we nave made Of Southern California arden, Arizona presents unrivaled opportunities Thousands Of