The Arizona sentinel., 1898-05-21
LANDS AND SOILS.

The lands of Yuma County comprise the rive, bottoms and valleys and the uplands or mesas The bottom ands mOister and slightly mere fertile
 H. Lnueed' It IS possible to make comparisons
 where all are so wonderfully productive and prolific The uplands or mesas are warmer and perhans
 lightly for better the cultivation ofthe citrus fruits
 Yuma contains variety of soil The valley land
 Of the Gla and Colorado rivers have for the mos. part deep sedimentary soil of brownish. orav
 sandy loam, resting, in most places, upon a 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 shales.
 sandstones marls. limestones, etc, mixed with or-
 ganic 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
 and GIla rivers resembles that from the Nile and
 its quantity varies from O.I to O.5. per cent
 'hough the water when even considerably dscolor- ed 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 exbIbitino q trlf1e less potassa, most phosphoric acid and car bonade of limestone beds through which the Colo rado passes. In other respects the sediment of the colorado IS almost identical with tbat 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 rlehestfertilzing elements. The soil of the valleys IS extremely rich in dedomposed vegetable matter and uncom6ined carbon, readily absorbing the aerial gases, such especially, as oxygen which en- tering the sOil decomposes the organic matters so that they can be taken up and n0uf.-r Che plants WHICH may 9e considered leading faltur- lu it fertility. T. also readily takes up anu retains moisture, while the frmness of its particles Tsris every tacilit percolarion and the activity of capillary act Iuits mechanical composition ifs particles are in state of very fine division which renders It more productive than coarser soils I acquires heat readily in the daytime. and the loss or the heat at night is very gradual so that 1t rs- mains always warm and is not subject to sudden changes of heat and cold. Besides it's essential co Of Water, organic or vegetable matter sand and clay, chemical analysis shows that lime coda, nagnesia iron, ammonia and available forms ot nitrogen, phosphore ac5 and potash e7ser fr.o composition in the proportions best aG7ptsd to add to it's fe~tlcy, tbau~- of course. as is aIu-r the case in Soil analysis, I-s composftfr vsr.a. f, different localities and Is u9, always constant.
 The soi O the upIeuds. or mcsas. Ifpbre- and more gravely and in some places of .ree. loalnv. ;alcareous Character. The mesa lands are warm and generous. They seem especially adapted for the 'rape, olive and e.srus fruits generally Their soil contains mo-o maguesia, lime or chalk chan the bottom lands. It never cracks and retains moisture admirably in summer. It is of that character which will produce wine that will keep good for ff-e or hundred years, and improve annually, not being fable to sour, exposure to the air, after one ear old, to become turbid and change color in the ottle or glass