The Arizona sentinel., 1898-08-06
LANDS AND SOILS.

LANDS AND SOILS.
 ihe i''nus oI Yuma County comprise the rIyey
 bottoms and valleys and the uplands or mesa. The oo1'om snds are moister and slightly mere fertile h' indeed, It IS possible to make comparisons where all are so wonderfully productive and prolific
 me upiands or mesas are warmer and, perhans hgnty Tor better the cultivation the citr,s t;.
 fuma containsa Ia variety of soil The valley land oi tneiGils and Colorado rivers have for the mos. part deep sedimentary soil of browuish. gr.v 0a"1y ioam' resting, in most places, upon gray ciaJ suosoil 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 Accommodation of shales sandstones, marls. limestones etc, mixed with oy ganic and vegetable matter, washed down bv tb. mlgnty rivers and have been gradually depos;ted uurng the course of centuries. The fertilizin~ orownish mud held in the wat tIof the Coloyado ana Ilia rivers resembles that from the Nile. and "s quantity varies from O.I to O5 per cent. though the water when even considerably diseolor- ca oy mud Is good drink, resembling in this re.- Pec' the Missouri river water. chemical analysis Oi the sediments of the Colorado and of the Nile e1nlDits wonderful similarity in the copstituent parts or each That of the Colorado exhibiting trine less potassa, most phosphoric acid and ear oonade of limestone beds throurh which the co,o rado passes In other respects the sediment O, the Colorado is almost identical with that of the Nile
 It will be noticed, therefore that when this water n uSeu TOT irrigation it IS superior to aresan waters since 1t is constantly supplying the land with the clements The soil of the valleys IS extremely rich in dedomposed vegetable matter and uncombined carbon, readily absorbing the aerial gases, such especially as oxygen, which en- cerng the soil decomposes the organic matters so Shat they can be taken up and nourish the plants "hicn may be considered leading featurs in it fertility. It also readily takes up and retains moisture, while the rmness of it's particles afsrds every facility for percolation and the activity of capillary action. In it's mechanical composition its particles are in state of very fine division which renders It more productive than cOarser soils acquires heatresdiy in the daytime, and the loss or the neat at night Is very gradual SO that it re- mains always warm and is not subject to sudden changes Of heat and cold Resides it's essential con- stituents Of waterJ organic or vegetable matter. sand and clay, chemical analysis shows that lime Soda magnesia, iron, ammonia and available forms or nitrogen phospheric acid and potash enter into composition in the proportions best adapted to | add to it's fertility, though of course as is aways 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 gravely and in some places of a .ree, loamy, 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 never cracks and retains moisture 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 or 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 cheap.
 Because home can be made with little abor.
 Because so great variety of products an be grown.
 Because the yield is larne apJ tho ,,r;o.s I