The Arizona sentinel., 1897-02-20

of the Gila and Colorado liyers have for the most part a deep sedimentary soil of brovnish, gray sandy loam, resting, in most places, upon a gray clay sUhsoil at a depth Of from ten to twenty feet below the surface, The clay subsoil forms hard pan which is impcryious to water. These soils have been slowly formed by the decomposition of shales, sandstonas, marls. limestoncs, etc., mixed with or ganic and vegetable matter, washed down by the mighty rivers and have been gradually deposited 'uiins the course of centuries. The ferJilzing broUn!sh mud held in the wat ,of the Colorado and Gia rivers resemblca that from the Nile, and its quantity varies from 0.l to 0.5 per cent, though the water when even considerably dscolor- cd 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 a trife less potassa, most phosphoric acid and car bonade of limestone beds throu. | 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 richestfertiiizng clements. The soil of the valleys
 
 and uncombined carbon, readily absorbing the aerial gases, such especially as oxygen, which en- toring the soil, dccomposes the organic matters that they can be taken up and nourish the plants which may De considered leading feature in its fertility It also readily takes up and retains moisture, while the frmness of it's particles affords every facility for percolation and the activity of capillary action. In mechanical composition its particles are in a state of very fine division which renders it more productive than coarser soils Il acquires heat readily in the daytime and the los, of the heat at night is very gradual that it re mains always warm and is not subject to sudder changes of heat and cold Besides its essential con stituents of water, organic or vegetable matter sand and clay, chemical analysis shows that lime soda, magnesia, iron, ammonia and available forms of nitrogen, phosphoro acid and potash enter int( composition in the proportions best adapted tC add to it's fertility though, of course, is alway' the in soil analysis, its composition varies il different localities and is not always constant.
 The soi O the uplands, mesas, lighter ant more grayelly and in some places of ,ree, loamy calcareOus character. The mesa lands are warm anC generous. They seem especially adapted for th' grape, olive and citrus fruits generally. Their soi contains more magnesia, lime or chalk than th' bottom lands. It never cracks and retains moisture admirably in summer. Itis of that character whicl will produce a wine that will keep good for fifty o hundred years, and improve annually, not being liable to sour or on exposure to the air, after on year old, to become turbid and change color in tn bottle or glass.
 We can safely say that the soil of Yuma Count! can nowhere be surpassed containiDr as it does al the essential clements of richness and fertility