The Arizona sentinel., 1899-09-16
FRUIT CULTURE.

Fruit production throughout Arizona is sub ject o great interest at present, and will no doubt, be the principal industry in Yuma County. The remarkable results that have sprung from very superficial and imperfect culture has de- nlonstrated that the soil and climate of Yuma County are peculiarly adapted for this branch of agricultural enterprise. The development of these resources is of the utmost importance ana is at traeting carefnl attention. Experiments have been made, with care, and facts in regard to the culture of different kinds of fruits have been collected which fail to convince, even tbe most skept- 1 ical, oftbe onderful superiority of Yuma County 1 over Southern California in fruit growing, and hich must lead to a large and varied production, | of the most remunerative character.
 The Commissioner of Immigration in his report, published in 1886, writes as follows of the rich valley of the Gila, Colorado and Salt rivers
 1 The soil of these valleys is among the richest l on the continent. It is formed of the detriJus which the streams for ages have brought down from their mountain homes in their journey to the sea. By constant oyerhows and change Of channel the deposit of this rich vegetable matter has form ed soil of extreme fertility, Near ths streams i 1 is dark alluYial mold, well adapted to snlal 1 grains aud grasses. Farther back there is rief | sandy loam, mellow and porous, and especially favorable for fruit culture. It has been already demonstrated that the productive apacty ei thesI valleys is not surpassed by lands of equal area 1T any part of the United States So rapid and prolific is the growth of the fruits cereals and vegetable 1 that he iahoR cf he val ia fo minimum. in nearly all of them two crops 8 yea can be growth, and vegetation is ore month aheaC of California. The farmers plants cottonwooC sapling before his door, and within the year he ha a shade tree twenty five feet high. Alfalfa b. cut six times during the season, and it is sctua fact the grape-cuttings have produced within eigh teen months! What State or Territory can mak such showing? The climate, it must be remern bered, is nearly perpetual summer. Snow neve falls in these southern valleys. The farmer begin to plant in November, and by the middle of Ma. tis harvest is ready. Roses are in bloom, frui trees are blossoming, and the grain feldsa re se of green, when the fields of the Eastern farmer are covered with snow and ice.
 Every variety grains, grasses, fruits and vege tables grown in the temperate and semi-tropi zones can be produced in the valleys of Arizona Wheat, corn. barley, oats and all the small grain give yield of from twenty-five to fifty bushels t the acre. Alfalfa, clover, timothy, Bermuda an all the cultivated grasses grow luxuriantly, tn former giving from eight to ten tons to the acr each year, Every variety of vegetable raised i the United States can be grown ir Arizona, an nowhere they found of better quality. -. "Besides the products mentioned these semi tropical valleys produce cotton, sugar-cane, to bacco, hemp and rice. With the exception of tn sugar-eane, but little attention is paid to the cult
 vaton of other staples; but it has been demonstra
 ed that the soil and climate specially adapte to their successful growth. Cotton growing is Il experiment in Arizona, for it Is on record tha when the Europeans first penetrated this regior they found the Pima Indians wearing fabric made of cttton grown in the Gila valley.
 ''Bus it is their adaptabillty for fruit cuitur that assures to these valley lands dense popula tion and aprosperous future. Almost every val iety known be raised In their fruitful soils. Tn apple, pear, plum, peach, apricot, quince and ne' tarine, sf delicious flavor, and give ger erous yield The grape of all varieties isa hom In these sunny vales. No place in the grape-grov ing belt of the Pacific Coast can show so prolific
 
 and the wine, although it's manufacture is yet e1 perimental, is of fine flavor, delicious bouque
 and uns urpassed by any native product As tabl beverage. Experiments with the raisin- graz l have shown that this climate and soil posses every advantage for the production and curing this staple article of commerce.
 Besides the fruits already mentioned, the ol ange, lemon, lima, olive, fig. pomegranate, all others of the citrus family, can be grown success fully in the valleys of Southern Arizona Orang trees now in bearing in the Salt River vale and s5 Yuma; while the bananas is also being GU
 tivated at the latter place. The Arizona orange quality and flavor will compare fayorably with tn
 best California. I+ "In the valleys of the Colorado, the Salt and tn Gila rivers, there is room for thousands. It is nc
 too much to say that nowhere within the limits this broad Union can be found more desirabl
 region for the making of @ home No laboriou clearing of the land is required it lies alrlo, , ready for the blow. Trees and shrubbery have rapid growth that within eighteen months tn immigrant can surround his abode with attraction which would require years to mature in less favore climates. Fruits ripen and are ready for marke full month before the California product. Tn bright sunshine makes life luxury, and the pure dry atmosphere brings health to all who inhale Il For the establishment of colonies, such as we hay made of Southern California 8 arden, Arizon presents unrivaled opportunities Thousands c acres, now prohtless, can be made productiv by Ae construction of irrigating dtches and ther
 is no investment which assures larger or nor permanent returns"