The Arizona sentinel., 1899-03-18
FRUIT CULTURE.

Fruit production throughout Arizona is . sub jccJ 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- monstrated tha the soil and climate of Yuma County arc peculiarly adapted for this branch oi agricultural enterprise. The development of these resources is Of the utmost importance and is at tractiug careful 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, tbe most s1ept
 cal, off Jndcrful 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 Co missioner of Immigration in his report, published in SS6, writes as follows of the rich valle, of the Gila, 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 constai overaows and change Of channel, the deposit of this rich vegetable matter has form cd soil of ,xtremc fertility, Near tho streams it is a dark alluval mold, we'll adapted to small grains and grasses. Farther back there is rich 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 ruits cereals and vegetables that the labor of the cultivator is reduced to the minimum. Tn nearly all of them two crops year h, and ati hear of California The farmers plants cottonwood sapling before his door, and within the he has shade tree twenty-five feet hiph. Alfalfa can be cut six times during the season, and it is actual fact the grape-cuttings have produced within eigh- teen months, What State or Territory can make such a showing? The climate, it must be remem- bered is nearly perpetual summer. Snow never falls in these southern valleys. The farmer begins to plant in November, and by the middle of nay lis harvest is ready. Roses are in bloom, fruit trees blossoming, and the grair fields are sea of green, when the fields of the Eastern farmers are covered with snow and ice.
 Every variety grains grasses fruits and vege- tables grown in the temperate and semi-tropic zones can be produced in the valleys of A, izona. Wheat corn barley, oats ard III the small grains give yield of from twenty-five to fifty bushels to the acre. Alfalfa clover, timothy, Bermuda and all the cultivated grasses grow luXuriantly, the former giving from eight to ten tons to the acre each year, Every variety of vegetable raised in the United States can be grown iD Arizona, and nowhere are 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 the sugar-cane but little attention is paid to the cuti vation of other staples but it has been demonstrat ed that the soil and climate specially adapted to their successful growth. Cotton growing is no experiment. in Arizona, for it is on record that when the Europeans first penetrated this region, they fonud the Pima Indians wearing fabrics made of ( tton grown in the Gila valley.
 ''BU5 it i, thoir adaptabillty for fruit culture that assures to these valley lands dense popula- tion and apycsperous future. Almost every var icty known can be raised in their fruitful soils. The apple, pear plum, peach, apricot, quince and nee tarine, are of delicious flavor and give gen. erous yield. The grape of all varieties ia home in these sunny salcs. No place in the grape-gTow ing belt Of tie Pacific Coast can show prolific a yield. The quality is all that could be de5iredi and the wine, although its manufacture Is yet ex- perimenisl, is Of 6 fine fvcr, delicious bouquet and uns p1ssrd 'N anI hatiro ploduct es stoi'le