The Arizona sentinel., 1899-04-01
FRUIT CULTURE.

Fruit production throughout Arizona is sub iecj O great interest at present. and will na doubt, be the principal industry in Yuma County The remarkable results that have sprung from very superficial and iml lerfcut culture has de- monstrated thar the soil and climate of Yuma County arc pcculiarly adapted for this branch oi agricultural enterp"iso. The development of these resources is of the utmost importance and is at t-acting careful attention. Experiments have been made, with care, and facts in regard the culture of different kinds of fruits have been collected which cannot fail to convince, tbe most slept- ical off Jndcriul superiority of Yuma County over southern California in fruit growing and V Eich must lead to q large and varied production, of the most remunoratve character.
 The 70 missioner of Immigration in his report published in SS3, writes as follows of the rich valley of the Gila. Colorado and Calt rivers
 The soil of these valleys is among the richest on the continent. It is formed of the detrtus which the streams for ages have brought down from their mountain homes in their journeg to the sea- By constai overhows and change of channel, the depo-it of this rich vegetable matter has form ed soil of ,xtreme ferJIlitv Near ths streams it IS a dark aluvial mold, well adapted to small grains and grasses. Farther back there is rich sandy loan, 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 Ian Is of equal area in any part of the United states. So rapid and prolific is the growth of the fruits, cereals ard vegetables tat the labor Of the cultivator is reduced to the minimum. Ir nearly all of them two crops year
 
 of California. The farmers plants cottonwood sapling before his door, and within the year he has a shade tree twenty-five feet hieh! Alfalfa can be Gu six tines Irng the season, and it is an actual fat the grapecuttings have produced within eigh- teen mo. thsl What State or Territory can make such a showing? The climate, it must be remem- bared is nearly perpetual summer. Snow never falls in these southern valleys. The farmer begins to plant in November, and by the middle of May lis harvest is ready. Roses are in bloom, fruit trees are blos,oming, and the grair fields sea of green, when the fields of the Eastern farmers are covered with snow and ice.
 Every variety grains grasses, fruits and vcge tables grown in the temperate and semi-tropic zones be produced in the valleys of Al zona. Wheat, corn barley, oats ard all the smal, 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 leys produce cotton, sugar cane, to- bacoo, hemp and rice With the exception of the sugar-cane, but little attention is paid the cuti- vaton Of other staples; but it has been demonstGat ed that the soil and climate are 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 found the Pima Indians wearing fabrics made ot st9n grown in the Gila valley.
 "Buc it s their adaptabity for fruit culture that assures to these yallcy lands deDse popula- tion and ap:osporcus future. Almost every iety known be raised in their fruitful soils The apple pear, plum, peach, apricot, quincc and nee tariac, arc of delicious flavor, and give gen orous yield. The grape Of all varieties ia home in these sunny valoa. No place in the grape-grow ing belt Of the Pacific Coast can show prolific a yield. Tie quality is all that could Dc desired aid the wine, although its manufacture Is yet cx periInentGl, is of fine fayor. delicious bouquet. H'i9 Iaa1ri,..-et bt spy natirc G:o3uei atAbie