The Arizona sentinel., 1897-08-21
can nowhere be surpassed containing as it does ali the essential elements of richness and fertility.
 FRUIT CULTURE

can nowhere be surpassed, containing as it does all the essential clements of richness and fertility.
 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. 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- tracting carefnl attention. Experiments have been made with care and facts in regard to the culture of different kinds of fruits have been collected whichcannot fail to convince, even tbe mostskept- 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 remunerative character.
 The Commissioner of Immigration in his report, published in SS6, writes as follows sf the rich valleys of the Gila, Colorado and Salt rivers.
 ''The soil of these valleys is among the richest On the continent. It is formed of the detritus which the streams fer ages have brought down from their mountain homes in their journeg to the sea. By constant overfows and change of channel, the deposit of this rich vegetable matter has form ed soil of ,xtreme fertility, Near ths 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 that the labor of the cultvator is reduced to the minimum. In nearly all of them two crops 8 year can be growth, aud vegetation is one month ahead of California. The farmers plants a cottonwood saplng before his door, and within the year he has a shade tree twenty-five feet hiehl Alfalfa be cut six times during the season, and it is an actual fact the grapecuttihgs have produced within eigh- teen months What State or Territory make such a showing? The climate, it must be remem- bered, is nearly perpetual summer. Snow never falls in these southern valleys. The farmer begins to plant in November, and by the middle of May his harvest is ready. Roses in bloom, fruit trees are blossomng, and the grain 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 and semi-tropic zones be produced in the valleys of Arizona. Wheat, corn barley, oats and all the small grains give yield of from twenty-five to fifty bushels to the acre. Alfalfa, clover, timothy, Bermuda and all the cultivated grasses grow luxuriantly, the former giving from eight to ten tons to the acre each year, Every variety of vegetable raised in 1 the United States be grown in Arizona, and nowhere are they found of better quality.
 1 'Besides the products mentioned, these semi tropical valleys produce cotton, sugar-eane, to- baeco, hemp and rice With the exception of the sugar-cane but little attention is paid to the culti vation of other staples but it has been demoDstrat ed that the soil and climate 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 Gila valley.
 'But it Is their adaptabihty for fruit culture that assures to these valley lands dense pOpula- ton and aprospersus future. Almost every var iety known be raised in their fruitful soils. The apple pear, plum, peach, apricot, quinee and nee- tarine, are of delicious flavor, and give gen. erous yield. The grape of all varieties isa home in these sunny wales. No place in the grape-grow- ing belt of the Pacific Coast show prolific a yield. The quality is all that could be desired; and the wine although it's manufacture is yet ex- perimental, is of fine flavor. delicious bouquet, 1 and unsurpassed by any native product as a table l beverage. Experiments with the raisin-grape have shown that this climate and soil possess every advantage for the production and curing of ! this staple article of commerce.
 ''Besides the fruits already mentioned, the or ange, lemon, lime, olive, fig, pomegranate, and others of the citrus family, be grown success fully in the valleys of Southern Arizona. Orange trees are now in bearing in the Salt River valley and st Yuma; while the bananas is also being cul- tivated at the latter place. The Arizona orange in quality and flavor will compare favoraby with the best California.
 ''In the valleys of the Colorado the Salt and the Gila rivers, there is for thousands. It is not too much to say that nowhere within the limits of this broad Union can be found a more desirable region for the making of home No laborious clearing of the land is required it lies almost ready for the blow. Trees and shrubbery have so rapid growth that within eighteen months the immigrant can surround his abode with attractions which would require years mature in less favored climates. Fruits ripen and are ready for market full month b fore the California product. The OfiRnG SuuS0lOe udkeS l16 luAUIys anu luc puIcs dry atmosphere brings health to all who inhae It. For the establishment of colonies, such as we have made of Southern California a arden, Arizona presents unrivaled opportunities Thousands of acres, proftless, can he made productive by the construction of irrgating dtehes and there is no investment which assures larger or more permanent returns"
 The foregoing statements are not exaggerated;
 kL.:- derful land. Pineapples dates, almonds and wal nuts will do we'll Strawberries, raspberres, black berries currants gooseberries, and all varieties of small fruits be successfully cultivated. Indeed, Yuma County is not only the natural home of the citrus and semi-tropieal fruits, almost every fruit, nut, plant, grain, grass vegetable which eau be produced in either tropic or temperate zcne will thrive in it's rich and fertile soils.