The Arizona sentinel., 1897-05-15
LANDS AND SOILS.

The lands of Yuma County comprise the river
 bottoms and valleys and the uplands mesas The
 bottom ands are moister and slightly mere fertile if, indeed it is possible to make comparisons
 here all wonderfully productive and prolific The uplands or mcsas are warmer anG perhaps
 lightly for better the cultivation ofthe citrus fruits Yuma cOntainsa variety of soil The valley land
 of thei Gila and Colorado rivers have for the most part deep sedimentary soil of brownish, gray San1y loam, resting, in most places, upon gray slay sUbsoil at depth Of from ten to twenty feet below the surface, The clay subsoil forms hard pan which is impervious to water These soils have been slowly formed by the decomposition of shales | sandstones, marls. imestones, etc., mixed with g1nc and vegetable matter, washed down by the | mighty rivers and have been gradually deposited during the course of centuries. The fertilizing brownish mud held in the wat tlof the Colorado ard Gila rivers resembles that from the Nile, and its quantity varies from o.1 to O.5 per cent, though the water when considerably discolor- 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 trifie less potassa, most plaosphoric acid and benade of limestone beds through which the Colo rado passHs. In other respects the sediment of the Colorado is almost identical with that of the Nile
 1t will be noticed therefore, that when this water is used for irrigation it is superior to artesan waters since it is constantly supplying the land with the rchestfertilZing clements. The soil of the valley Is extremely rich in dedomposed vegetable matter , and uncombined carbon readily absorbing the aerial gases, such especially, as oxygen, which en-
 torng the soil, dccomposes the organic matters so that they can be taken up and noursh the plants which may he considered @ leading featur, in It's fertility. It also readily takes up and retains moisture while the irmness of its particles affords every facility for pcrcolation and the activity of capillary action In ts mechanical composition it's particles are in state of very fine division which renders 1t more productive than coarser soils It acquires heat readily in the daytine and the loss of the heat at night is very gradual, that it re-
 mains always warm and is not subject to sudden changes of heat and cold Besides its essential con stituents of water, organic vegetable matter, sand and clay, chemical analysis shows that lime
 soda magnesia iron, ammonia and available forms of nitrogen phosphoric acid and potash enter into composition in the proportions best adapted to
 'u 'o iU' i'i'il'!' euouSh oi coulse as IS al"a9s the caSs in soil analysis it's composition varies in different localities and is not always constant
 The soi o the uplands, or nesas, 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 hundred years, and improve annually, not being
 liable to sour, exposure to the air, after one year old to become tuEbid and change color in the bottle or glass.
 We can safely say that the soil of Yuma County can nowhere be surpassed, containing as it does all the essential elements of richness and fertility.