The Arizona sentinel., 1896-11-21

of thel Gila and Colorado rivers have tol the most part deep sedimeHtary soil of brownish, gray sandy To Tn, resting, in most places, upon gray clay subsoil st depth of from ten to twenty feet below the surface, The clay subsoil forms hard been slowly formed by the decomposition of shales, sandstones, marls. limessones, etc., mixed with glnic and vegetable matter washed down by the mighty rivers and have been gradually deposited during the course of centuries. The fertiizing brownish mud held in the wat ,Iof the Colorado and Gila rivers resembles that from the Nile. and its quantity varies from o.1 to o.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 tri1e less potassa, most phosphoric acid and car bonade of limestone beds through which the Colo rado pass"s 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 used for irrigation it is superior to artesan waters since it is constantly supplying the land with the richest fertilizing elements The soil of the valleys is extremely rich in dedomposed vegetable matter and uncombined carbon, readily absorbing the aerial gases such especially, as oxygen, which en- terins the soil, decomposes the organic matters so that they can be taken up and nourish the plants which may ne considered leading featur, in lss fertility. It also readily takes up and retains moisture, while the frmness of its particles affords every facility for percolation and the activity of capillary action. In ts mechanical composition it's particles are in state of very fine division, whi ,h 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, that it mains always warm and is not subject to sudden changes of heat and cold Besides it's essential con- stituents of water, organic or vegetable matter, sand and clay, chemical andy shows that lime, soda, magnesia, iron, ammonia and available forms of nitrogen, phosphoric acid end potash enter into composition in the proportions best adapted to add to it's fertility though, of course is always the case in soil analysis, it's exposition varies in different localities and is not always constant.
 The soi the uplands, or mesas, lighter and more gravelly and in some places of . .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 or chalk than the bottom lands. It cracks and retains moisture admirably in summer It is of that character which will produce wine that will keep good for fifty or ahundred years, and improve annually, not being liable to sour, exposure to the air, 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 it does all the essential clements of richness and fertility.