The Arizona sentinel., 1897-02-06
FRUIT CULTURE.

FRUIT CULTURE.
 Fruit production throughout Arizona is a sub | ject great interest at present, and will no doubt, be the principal industry in Yuma County. l The remarkable results that have sprung from very superficial and imperfect culture has de- monstrated that the soil and climate of Yuma County are peculiarly adapted for this branch of agricultural enterprise. The development of these resources is of the utmost importance and is at tracing carefnl attention. Experiments have been made with care and facts in regard to the culture of different kinds Of fruits have been collected which cannot fail to convince, even tbe mostskept- ical, of the wonderful superiority of Yuma County over Southern California in fruit growing, and which must lead to large and varied production, | of the most remuneratiye character.
 The Commissioner of Immigration in his report, published in 1886, writes as follows of the rich valleys Of the Gila, Colorado and Salt rivers.
 'sThe soil of these valleys is among the richest cn the continent. It is formed of the detritus which the streams for ages have brought down from their mountain homes in their journey to the sea- By constant overfows and change of channel, the deposit of this rich vegetable matter has form ed soil of extreme fertility, Near tho streams it is dark alluvial mold, well adapted to small grains and grasses. Farther back there is rich sandy loam, 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 lands of equal area in any part of the United States So rapid and prolific is the growth of the fruits, cereals and vegetables thatthe labor ofthe cultivator is reduced to the minimum In nearly all of them two crops a year l can be growth, and vegetation is one month ahead | of California. The farmers plants cottonwood sapling before his door, and within the year he has
 2 shade tree twenty-five feet hgh Alfalfa can bt
 cut six times during the season. and it IS an actua
 fact the grape-cuttings have produced within el9h
 teen months! What State or Territory can make
 such showing? The climate, it must be remem bered, is nearly perpetual summer. Snow never
 falls in these southern valleys. The farmer begin
 to plant in November, ard by the middle of May , his harvest is ready. Roses are in bloom, trul
 trees are blossoming, and the grain fields are se'
 of green, when the fields of the Eastern farmer are covered with snow and ice.
 Every variety grains, grasses, fruits and vege
 tables grown in the temperate and semi-tropl
 zones can be produced in the valleys of Arizona
 Wheat. corn barley, oats and all the small grsin t+ve yield of from twenty-five to fifty bushels t $ the acre. Alfalfa, clover, timothy, Bermuda an' all tke cultivated grasses grow luXuriantly, tn
 former giving from eight to ten tons to the acr 7 each year, Every variety of vegetable raised i the United States can be grown in Arizona, an 3 nowhere are they found of better quality.
 "Besdes the products mentioned, these semi l .o,,i.o1 ,-aIl.ve ,,roduco cotton supar-cane to , bacco, hemp and rice. With the exception of tn sugarcane but little attention is paid to the cult vation of other staples but it has been demonstra ed that the soil and climate are specially adapte ] to their successful growth. CottOn-growing is n
 experiment in Arizona, for it is on record tha
 when the Europeans first penetrated this regior they found the Pima Indians wearing fabric l made of cotton grown in the Gila valley.
 T But it is their adaptabilIty for fruit cultur
 that assures to these valley lands dense popua tion and aprosperous future. Almost every val
 ietv known can be raised in their fruitful soils. Th apple, pear, plum, peach, apricot, quince and ne e tarine, are of delicious flavor, and give ger | orous yield. The grape of all varieties isa hon
 in these sunny wales. No place in the grape-groV
 ing belt of the Pacific Coast can show so prolific
 yield. The quality is hll that could be desire' f and the wine, although it's manufacture IS yet e n perimental, is of a fine flavor, delicious bcuque
 and unsurpassed by any native product as a tab beverage. Experiments with the raisin-gral have shown that this climate and soil posse ,. every advantage for the production and curing l. this staple article of commerce.
 ssBesides the fruits already mentioned, the O
 ange, lemon, lime, olive, fig, pomegranate, al U others of the citrus family, be grown succes 't fully in the valleys of Southern Arizona. Oranl 1t trees are now in bearing in the Salt River vallt , and et Yuma: while the bananas is also being GU . tiyates at the latter place. The Arizona orange
 quality and flavor will compare favorably with u 10 best California.
 r. sIn the valleys of the Colorado the Salt and t is Gila livers there is room for thousands. It is m too much to say that nowhere within the limits tbis broad Union can be found a more desirah ," region for the making of home. No laborio at clearing of the land is required; it lies almC
 ready for the plow. Trees and shrubbery have
 rapid a growth that within eighteen months t
 f,omigrant can surround his abode with attractio CT which would require years to mature in he climates Frrits ripen and are ready for mark He full month before the California product. T ms bright sunshine makes life a luxury, and the pu fc dry atmosphere brings health to all who lnhale For the establishment of colonies, such as we ha ts made of Southern California arden, Arizo A ,resetts rn.fyaled opportunities ThoieaHas