The Arizona sentinel., 1896-02-15

of the Cila and Colorado rivers have for the most part deep sedimcntary soil of brownish, gray
 sanfjy To m, resting, in most places, upon gray clay su1soii ct depth of from ten to twenty feet | below the surface, Tle clay subsoI forms hard
 pan wl.i h is iraaeryious to water. These soils have
 been slowly formed by the decomposition Of shalee
 sandstones, aer's Iiue5ooEoa e5e., mixed with or ganic and vegetable matter, washed down by the mighty riyeTs and have been gradually deposited during the course Of centuries. The fertilizing brownish mud held in the wat cIof the Colorado and Gila rivers resembles that from the Nile, end its quantity varics from C.1 to O.5 per cent,
 though the water when even considerably discolor-
 cd by mud is good to drink resembling in this res pcct 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 o5 the Colorado exhibiting a trlc less pot2ssa, most phosphOric acid and car
 bonade Of limestone beds through which the Colo
 rado passos. In other respects tn: sediment of the
 Colorado is almost identical with tbat of the Nile.
 It will be noticed therefore, that when this water is used for irrigation is superior to artesian waters since it is constantly supplying the land with the richest liking elements. The soil of the valleys is extremely rich in dedomPosod vegetable matter and Uncoa.b bined carbon, readily absorbing the aerial gases, such especially as oxygen, which tering the soil Gccomposos the organic matters So that they caa be taken up anj nolrish the plants which may be considered g leading featur3 in it's fertility. It also readily takes up and retains moisture, while the frness of it's particles affords every facility for percoi2tion and the activity of capillary action. n its mechanical composiioai5s particles are ill a state of very fine division, which renders it more productive than coarser soils It aequiries heat readily in the daytime, and the loss Of the hea. ct gnt is very gra~ual, jhaJ it gc- mans alwasa .rm aai i5 not subject to sudden changes Of h- md co.L. Besides it's cs en5i. con si-ueuts Of water, organic or vegetable natter sand and clay, chemical analysis shows that lime soda, lnagnosia iron, ammonia and available forms of nitrogen, phosoaoric ac.d and potash enter into composition in tn proportions best adapted to add to its fertility, though, Of course, as is always the case in soil analysis, is composition varies in different localities and is not always constant.
 The soil os the u2lalas, or mesas, lighter and more gravelly and in some places Of a free, loany, calcereous character. The mesa lands ere warn and generous. They seem especially aI,psed for the grape olive and citrus fruits generally. Their soil contains more magnesia, lime or chalk than the bottom lands. I5 never cracks an1 retains moi turo admirably a summer. It is of that character which will prodlc. wine that will keep good for fit Q hundred years, and in,prore annually, not being liable to sour, or on exposure to the air. after car old, to become turbid and change color in the bottle CT glass.
 We cal safely. say that the soil Of Yuma County can norhere be surpassed, containing asit does all the essential elements of richness aud fertility.