The Arizona sentinel., 1899-10-28
FRUIT CULTURE.

Fruit production throughouJ AflZona IS SUD- ect great interest at present, and will no loubt, be the principal industry in Yuma County. very superficial and imperfect culture has de- monstrated 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 and is at tracting carefnl attention. Experiments have been made with care and facts in regard to the culture of different kinds of fruits have been collected which cannot fail to convince, even tbe most skept ical ofthe Onderful superiority of Yuma County | over Southern California in fruit growing, and which must lead to 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 Gia, Colorado and Salt rivers.
 ''The soil of these valleys is among the richest on the continent. It is formed of the detritus which the streams for ages have brought down from their mountain homes in their journey to the sea- By constant overfows and change of channel, the deposit of this rich vegetable matter has form ed soil of extreme fertility, Near the streams it l grains and grasses Farther back there is rich 1 sandy loam, mellow and porous, and especially favorable for fruit culture. It has been already demonstrated that the productive apacity of these valleys is not surpassed by lands of equal area in any part of the United States. So rapid and prolific is the growth of the fruts cereals and vegetables that the labor of the cultvator is reduced to the minimum. In nearly all of them two crops ayear , can be growth and vegetation is one month ahead , of California. The farmers plants cottonwood saplng beforeh his door, and within the year he has shade tree twenty-five feet high! Alfalfa can o' cut six times during the season, and it IS an actua fact the grape-cuttings have produced within elgh teen months! What State or Territory can mak 3 such showing? The climate, it must be remem f 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 bis harvest is ready. Roses are in bloom, trui trees are blossoming, and the grain fields re SC = of green, when the fields of the Eastern farmer
 are covered with snow and ice.
 n Every variety grains, grasses, fruits and veg'
 tables grown in the temperate and seml-Gropl ' zones can be produced in the valleys ot AIlzon' e Wheat, corn barley, oats ard all the small grair e give yield of from twenty-five to fifty bushels !. the acre. Alfalfa, clover, timothy, Bermuda an
 all the cultivated grasses grow luxuriantly, tf
 former giving from eight to ten tons to the acl re each year, Every variety of vegetable raised m the United States can be grown ip Arizona, all
 nowhere are they found better quality. o, ssBesides the products mentioned, these sem
 tropical valleys produce cotton, sugar-cane, t. A baceo. hemp and rice With the exception of u n, but little attention is paid to the cu vation of other staples but it has been demOnstra ,d ed that the soil and climate specially adapt . to their successful growth. Cotton-grOwing is 0' experiment in Arizona, for it is on record tn St when the Europeans first penetrated this regio D. they found the Pima Indians wearing fabri nd made of eaton grown in the Gila valley.
 seBuS it is their adaptabihty for fruit cultu
 that assures to these valley lands dense popul w tion and aprosperous future. Almost every V; m ietv known can be raised in their fruitful soils. of apple, pear, plum peach, apricot, quince and n ,as tarne, are of delicious flavor, and give g' m erous yield The grape of all varieties lSa ho
 in these sunny wales. No place in the grape-gro 'o ing belt of the Pacific Coast can show so prolific th yield. The quality is all that could be deslr ch and the wine, althoughits manufacture is yet Ter perimental, is of fine flavor, delicious bouqu
 and uns 1rpassed by any native product as ta m. beverage Experiments with the raisin-gri oln have shown that this climate and soil poss me every advantage for the production and curing on this staple article of commerce.
 nd "Besides the fruits already mentioned, the es- ange, lemon, lime, olive, fig, pomegranate, nk others of the citrus family, can be grown succ lay fully in the valleys of Southern Arizona. Ora as trees are now in bearing in the Salt River val ten and at Yuma; while the bananas is also being vel tivated at the latter place. The Arizona orange
 quality and flavor will compare favorably with
 best California.
 MA 'In the valleys of the Colorado, the Salt and
 Gila rivers, there is room for thousands. It is
 too much to say that nowhere within the limit
 this broad Union can be found more desira
 region for the making of home. No labori
 clearing of the land is required; it lies aln +tle ready for the blow. Trees and shrubbery have
 rapid growth that within eighteen months
 immigrant can surround his abode with attracti tets Ic would roo,,iro wears o atura in less fsvo
 climates Fruits ripen and are ready for mar ces a full month before the California product.
 bright sunshine makes life luxury, and the pl
 dry atmosphere brings health to all who inhalC For the establishment of colonies, such as we
 made of Southern California a arden, Arz nan presents unrivaed opportunities Thousands der acres, now profitless, can be made product
 by Ae construction of irrgating ditches and til is no investment which assures larger or IT 'ii0 permanent returns.'
 JANDS AND SOILS