The Arizona sentinel., 1899-09-30
FRUIT CULTURE.

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 is of the utmost importance and is at | tracting 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 mostskept ical, oftha 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 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 constant over1ows and change of channel, the deposit of this rich vegetable matter has form ed a soil of extreme fertility, Near ths streams it is dark alluvial mold, well 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 in any part of the United States. So rapid and prolific is the growth of the fruits, cereals and vegetables that the labor of the cultvator is reduced to the minimum. In nearly all of them two crops year | can be growth, and vegetation is one month ahead of California. The farmers plants cottonwood sapling before his door, and within the year he has shade tree twenty five feet hgh Alfalfa be cut six times during the season. and it is actual fact the grapecuttings have produced within eigh- teen monthsl What State Territory can make such showing? The climate, it must be remem- | bered, is nearly perpetual summer. Snow never falls in these southern valleys. The farmer begins | to plant ill November, and by the middle of May | his harvest is ready. Roses in bloom, fruit trees are blossoming, and the grain fields re 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-GropiC zones be produced in the valleys of Arizona Wheat, corn barley, oats ard all the small grain: give yield of from twenty-five to fifty bushels tC the acre. Alfalfa, clover, timothy, Bermuda and all the cultivated grasses grow luxuriantly, tho former giving from eight to ten tons to the acre each year, Every variety of vegetable raised il the United States can be grown in Arizona, ant nowhere are they found of better quality.
 "Besdes the products mentioned, these semi
 tropical valleys produce cotton, sugar-cane, to- bacco, hemp and rice With the exception of th sugar-cane but little attention is paid to the culti vation of other staples but it has been demonstrat ed that the soil and climate specially adapted to their successful growth. Cotton growing is n
 experiment in Arizona, for it is on record tha when the Europeans first penetrated this region they found the Pima Indians wearing fabric made of cotton grown in the Gila valley.
 ''But it is their adaptabi1ty for fruit cultur
 that assures to these valley lands dense popula
 tion and aprosperous future. Almost every var
 ety known can be- raised in their fruitful soils Tn apple, pear plum, peach, apricot, quinee and nec , tarine, are of delicious flavor, and give gen
 erous yield. The grape of all varieties isa hom
 in these sunny wales. No place in the grape-groW
 ing belt of the Pacific Coast can show prolific
 yield. The quality is all that could be desired
 and the wine, although it's manufacture is yet e1 perimental is of fine flavor, delicious bouquet
 and uns lrpassed by any native product as tabl
 beverage. Experiments with the raisn-grap 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, lime, olive, fig, pomegranate an
 others of the citrus family, be grown success
 fully in the valleys of Southern Arizona. Orang trees are now in bearing in the Salt River valle and at Yuma; while the bananas is also being GU
 tivated at the latter place. The Arizona orange
 quality and flavor will compare favorably with tn
 best California.
 "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 almos P 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 a full month before the California product Tn
 bright sunshine makes life luxury. and the purt
 dry atmosphere brings health to all who inhale I
 For the establishment of colonies, such as we hay
 made of Southern California arden, Arizon l presents unrivaed opportunities Thousands r acres, profitless, can be made productiv
 by Ae construction of irrgating ditches, and ther is no investment which assures larger or nor permanent returns