The Arizona sentinel., 1897-03-06

of ,hei Gila and Colorado rivers have fo1 the most part deep seiimeI.tary soil Of brownish gray sandy lorm, resting, in most places, upon gray clay su5eo'l q a depth of from ten to twenty feet below tie surface 19,e clay subsoil forms hard pan wli ii is imroryioGs to water These soils have beer slowly formed by the decomposition o' shales, sandstoncs mars. limestones, etc, mixed with or ganic and vegetable matter, washed down hy the mighty rivers and have been gradually deposited turing the course of centuries The fertilizing 5rownish mud held in the wat tIof the Colorado and Gila rivers resembles that from the Nile and its quantity taries from o.l to O.5 per cent, though the water Hhen even considerably discoor- ed 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 triAe less rotassa, most phosphoric acid and bonaIe oi limestone beds through which the Colo rado p2ssos. 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 artesan waters since it is constantly supplying the land with the richestfevtilizng elements. The soil of the valleys is extremely rich in dedomposed vegetable matter and uncombined carbon, readily absorbing the aerial gases, such especially, oxygen, which en tering the soil, decomposes the organic matters that they can be taken up aal nourish the plants which may De considered leading featur2 in its fertility. It also readily takes up and retains moisture while the irmnsss of it's particles affords every taclity for percolation and the activity Of capillary action In it's mechanical composition it's particles are in a state of very fine division which renders it more productive than coarser soils It acquires heat readily in the daytime and the loss of the heat at night is very gradual, that it mains always warm and is not subject to sudden 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, phesphorc acid and potash enter into ! composition in th' proportions best adapted to add to it's fertility, though Of course as is always the case in soil analysis, it's composition varies in different localities and is not always constant.
 The sci the uplands. or mesas, lighter and more gravelly and in some places of .ree, loamy, ealcareous 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 chalk than the bottom lands l. never cracks and retains moisture admirably in summer. It is of that character which will produce wine that will keep good for fifty or a hundred years, and improve annually, not being liable to sour, exposure to the air, after one year old to become turbid 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.