The Arizona sentinel., 1899-04-29
LANDS AND SOILS.


 is no investment which assures larger or more permanent returns D
 LANDS AND SOILS.
 The lands of Yuma County comprise the river bottoms and valleys and the uplands or mesas The bottom ands are moster and slightly mere fertile if, indeed, it is possible to mqke comparisons where all wonderfully productive and prolific The uplands mesas are warmer and, perhaps, | lightly for bettertbe cultivation of the citrus fruits Yuma containsa variety of soil The valley land of thel Gila and Colorado rivers have for Che 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 hard pan which is impervious to water These soils havc been slowly formed by the decomposition of shalos sandstones marls. limcstones ete mixed with or ganic and vegetable matter, washed down by the mighty rivers and have been gradually deposited during the course of centuries. The fertilizine brownish mud held in the wat tIof the Colorado and Giia rivers resembles that from the Nile and its quantity varies from O.1 to O.5 per cent, though the water hen even considerably discolor- | ed by mud is good 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 uf the Colorado exhibiting tritie less potassa, most phosphoric acid and ear | bonade of limestomn beds through which the Colo- rado pass"s In other respects the sedlnJlt of the Colorado is almost identical with that of the Nile. It will be noticed therefore, that when this water usedfor irrigation is superior artesian waters since it is constantly supplying tue land with the richest ertilizng elements. The soil of the valley is extremely rich in dedomposed vegetable matter l and uncoHbined 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 nourish the plants which may 1e considered leading ieature in It fertility. It also readily takes up and retains moisture while the frmness of it's particles affords every facility for percolation and the activity of capillary action In ts mechanical composition its particles arc in state of very fine division which renders it more productive than coarser soils I acquires heat readily in the daytime, and the loss of the heat at night is very gradual, that it re- mains always 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, 5oda, magnesia, iron, ammonia and available forms of nitrogen, phosphorc acid and potash enter into composition in the proportions best adapted to add to it's fertility, though, of course, is always
 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 loamy, calcareous character. The mesa lands are warm and generous. They seem especially adapted for the | olive and r;trus fruits oanaralIv contains more magnesis, lime CT chalk than the bottom lands. It never cracks and retains moisture admirably in summer It is of that character which will produce that will keep good for fifty or
 9 hundred years, and improve annually, not being liable tc sour exposure to the air, after one year old to become turbid and change color in the
 bottle or glass
 WHY IMMIGRANTS SHOULD COME TO YUMA 2 COUNTY. Because the climate is perfect.
 Because the soil is fertile and prolific. l Because land is abundant and cheap. e Because a home can be made with little labor.
 Because so great variety of product; l can be grown.
 |, Because the yield is large and the price.
 always remunerative. ; Because life is a luxury in land where
 the sun shines every day. t Because th,re are chances for poor mar s which he can never hope to find in oldel countries.
 Because the country is advancing ant . property values are increasing. t Because, unlike Southern California i Il does not require a small fortune to secure | piece of land.
 Because capitol does not block all the av z enucs to wealth, nor crowd tie poor mal n to the wall.
 c Because Uncle Sam has yet many farm $ in Yuma county waiting for occupants.
 Because churches, schools, newspaper | and railroads are fast developing the mora d and material elements of the Territory. s Because good land is becoming scarce, anc e if you don't catch on now, your last chanc Il will soon be gone.
 | Because the country is one of the fey !. regions of the Uuited States that yields tn 1T products of the temperate and semi-tropi IS zones.
 y Because the worker receives . fair com ~ pensation for his labor, And the 'rustler' Ina -s field for tine display of his energy and en
 terprise.
 C. Because there are neither blizzards O lc tornadocs, earthquakes nor inundations ,. snow-storms nor cyclones. 70 Because the vast and varied resources e d the country are yet to be developed le Because the wealth of its mines, its farm 's ing valleys, and grazing lands, will yet bull d up great and prosperous county.
 Because @ man can make livelihood ,er | with less labor than in any other part of tn ,o United States.
 i. Because there is health in every breeze t and strength and vigor under it's cloudles 'd skies.
 10 Because the settler need not spend q life n time in Telling trees and grabbing GU os stumps.
 Because vegetation is so rapid that in tw re years the home is surrounded by growt l. of trees and shrubs which would requir r five years to develop i'll q colder cline ic Because fortunes here await the venture - some, and health welcomes the afflicted. ,e Because the country has brilliant futur " and you want to bc in the swim Because in its pure, dry invigoratng ail epidemic diseases cannot live CT ger1ninate