The Arizona sentinel., 1900-02-07
FRUIT CULTURE.

 loubt, be the principal industry in Yuma County The remarkable results that have sprung iron very superacial and imperfect culture has ds .aOnStreted thar t..e soil ana 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 careful attention Experiments have been l 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, ofthJ Ondcrful 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 rae, of the Gila, Colorado and Cat 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 journeF to the sea. By constant overhows and change of channel, the deposit of this rich vegetable matter has form ed soil of Extreme fertility, Near the streams it is dark alluval mold well adapted to small grains and grasses. Farther back there is a rich sandy loam mellow and porous, and especially favorable for fruit culture It has been already demonstrated that the productive apaeity 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 fruits cereals and vegetables that the labor fthe cultivator is reduced to the minimum. 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 y-fve feet hiph! Alfalfa be cut six times during the season. and it is actual fact the grape-cutt;ngs have produced within eigh teen months. What State or Territory can make such showing? The climate, it must be remem- | bered, is nearly perpetual summer. Snow never falls in these southeru valleys. The farmer begins | to plant in November, and by the middle of Nay lis harvest is ready. Roses in bloom, fruii trees are blossoming, and the grair folds re 8 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 seEIi-ryopic zones can be produced in the valleys of A izona. Wheat, corn barley, oats ard all the small grains give yield of from twenty-five to fifty bushels to
 
 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 ip Arizona, end nowhere are they found better quality.
 "Besdes 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 cult vaton of other staples; but it has been demonstra ed that the soil and climate specially adapted to their successful growth. Cotton growing is nc experiment in Arizona, for it is record that when the Europeans first penetrated this region they found the Pima Indians wearing fabrics made of (, ton grown in the Gila valley
 ''But it is their adaptabillty for fruit culture that assures to these valley lands dense popula- tion and aprosperous future. Almost every var ety kaown be raised in their fruitful soils. The apple, pear, plum, peach. apricot, quinee and nee tarine are of delicious flavor, and give gen erous yield. The grape of all varieties i>a home in these sunny wales. No place in the grape-grow ing belt of the Pacific Coast show prolific yield. The quality is all that could be desired and the wine, althoughit it's manufacture is yet ex perlnental is of 9 fine flavor, delicious bouquet and uns Irpassed by any native product az table beverage Experiments with the raisingrap' have shown that this climate and soil posses every advantage for the production and curing O this staple article of commerce.
 'Besides the fruits already mentioned, the or angc, lemon, linre, olive, fig, pomegranate, anC others of the citrus family, can be grown success fully in the valleys of Southern Arizona. Orange trees are now in bearing in the Salt River valley and at Yuma; while the bananas is also being cul tivated at the latter place. The Arizona orange 1T quality and flavor will pare isvoraby with tho best California.
 'In the valleys of the Colorado, the Salt and th' Gila rivers, there is room for thousands. It is no too much to say that nowhere within the limits o this broad Union can be found desirable region for the making of a home. No laboriou' clearing of the land is required; it lies almos ready for the blow. Trees and shrubbery have SC rapid growth that within eighteen months thC immigrant can surround his abode with attractions which would require years to mature in less favored climates. Fruits rpen and ready for marke | full month before the California product Int bright sunshine makes life luxury, and the pure dry atmosphere brings health to all who inhale It For the establishment of colonies, such we have made of Southern California a arden, Arizona presents unrivaled opportunities Thousands O acres, now profitess, be made productive by le construction of irrigGtng ditches, and there is no investment which assures larger or nor, permanent returns"