The Arizona sentinel., 1898-05-07
LANDS AND SOILS.

1 The lands Of Yuma County comprise the rive,
 bottoms and valleys and the uplands or mesas The
 bottom ands moister and slightly mere fertile if, indeed it is possible to make comparisons
 where all wonderfully productive and prolific The uplands or mesas are warmer and, perhaps
 lightly for better the cultivation off the citrus fruits Yuma contains variety of soil The valley land of the Gila and Colorado rivers have for the most part deep sedimentary soil of brownish, gray san1y loam, resting, in most places upon gray clay subsoil at depth of from ten to twenty feet below the surface, The clay subsoil forms a hard, pan which is imperviOus to water These soils have been slowly formed by the decomposition of shaIes sandstones, marls. limestones etc, mixed with or- gAnlc aud vegetable matter, washed down by the mighty rivers and have been gradually deposited during the course of centuries The fertiIizine 0rownish mud held in the wat tIof the Colorado and Gila rivers resembles that from the Nile. and It's quantity varies from O.I to O.5. per cent. though the water when even considerably discolor- eu oy mud IS good to drink, resembling in this res pect the Missouri river water. chemical analysis or the sediments of the Colorado and of the Nile exhibits wonderful similarity in the constituent parts of each That of the Colorado exhIbitino q trltie less potassa, most phosphoric acid and car Donade Of limestone beds through 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 artesan waters since It IS constantly supplying the land with the rlchestfertilizing elements The soil of the valleys IS extremely rich in dedomposed vegetable matter ana uncomOlned carbon, readily absorbing the aerial gases, such especially, as oxygen which en- terlng the soil, decomposes the organic matters so that they can be taken up and nourish the pIants WHICH may 9e considered leading feature in 1t fertility. It also readily t~F-= ID and ref. -.. molsture while the frmness ifs particles ars. -- every facility for percolatioI zaJ H5 a-5sr,-t ,f capillary action. In i ts mec su-ar --!pr1-.rfr- ifs particles are in state of ve 1e division which renders it more productive su -aa~eer so-rs T aequiries heat readily in the -ay5ime and the loss Of the heat at night is very gyauai, SO that 5, re- mains always warm and is not suH-.e- -- e..fd.. changes of heat and cold. Be .-. --=-.tf.. ..- stituents of water, organic OF vegetable matter. sand and clay, chemical an ,sis shows tEat lirs soda, magnesia, iron ammor a and available forms of nitrogen, phosphoric acid and potash enter into composition in the proporr ons best adsptea Co add to it's fertility though, c course aq Is sIl-g the case in soil analysis, it's composition varies in different localities and is not always constant.
 The soi the uplands, or mesas, lighter and more gravelly and in some places of .ree, loamv, character. The mesa lands are warm and 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 a hundred years, and improve annually, not being liable to sour, exposure to the air, after one year old, to become turbd and change color in the bottle or glass WHY IMMIGRANTS SHOULD COME TO YUMA |
 COUNTY.
 Because the climate is perfect.
 Because the soil is fertile and prolific.
 BeCause land is abundant and cbaoD