The Arizona sentinel., 1900-01-31
FRUIT CULTURE.

Fruit production throughout Arizona is a sub ice; 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- monotrated that the soil and climate of Yuma County arc 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, oft,5 ondcrful superiority of Yuma County over Southern California in fruit growing, and which must lead to a large and varied production of the most rGmunerotive character.
 The Coz missioner of Immigration in his report published in SS6, writes 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 detritus which the streams for ages have brought down from their mountain homes in their journe to the sea- By constant overlows and change of channel the deposit of this rich vegetable matter has form ed soil of ,Xtreme fertility Near ths streams it l is dark slluvial mold, we'll adapted to small grains and grasses. Farther back there is rich | sandy loanl, 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 fruits cereals and vegetables l that lahoP cf ba is fo minimum. In nearly all of them two crops year can be growth, and vegetation is one month ahead of California. The farmers plants a cottonwood sapling beorehi door, and within the year he has shade tree twenty-five feet high! Alfalfa can be cut six times during the season, and it is an actual fact the grape-cuttings have produced within eigh teen monthsl What State or Territory can make such a showing? The climate, it must be remem bored, is nearly perpetual summer. Snow never falls in these southern valleys. The farmer begins to plant in November, and by the middle of May l lis harvest is ready. Roses in bloom, frui trees are blossoming, and the grair fields a sGa of green, when the fields of the Eastern farmer. are covered with snow and ice.
 Every variety grAins grasses, fruits and vnge tables grown in the temperate and seali-rropiC zones can 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 an, all the cultivated grasses grow luxuriantly tht former giving from eight to ten tons to the acr each year, Every variety of vegetable raised il the United States can be grown ip Arizona, anc nowhere 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 tn sugarcane but little attention is paid to the cuIti vation of other staples but it has been demonstrat ed that the soil and climate specially adapte' to their successful growth Cotton growing is m 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 c ton grown in the Gila valley.
 ''BEt it is their adaptabillty for fruit cultur tnat assures to these valley lands dense popula tion and aprosperous future. Almost every var iety known be raised in their fruitful soils Tn apple, pear, plum, peach, apricot, quince and nee 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 so prolific
 yield. The quality is all that could be desired and the wine, although it's manufacture is vet ex perimental. is of 2 fine favor delicious bouquet and uns lrp2ssed by any native product as tabl beverage. Experiments with the raisin-grap have shown that this climate and soil posses every advantage for the production and curing 0 this staple article of commerce.
 ''Besides the fruits already mentioned, the or 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 thc Salt River yale. and at Yuma; while the bananas is also being cul 5ivated at the latter place. The Arizona orange il quality and flavor will compare favorably with thu best California.
 ''In the valleys of the Colorado, the Salt and thu Gila rivers, there is room for thousands. It is no teo much to say that nowhere within the limits 0 this broad Union can be found desirable 1 region for the making of home No laboriou! l clearing of the land is required it lies amos ready for the blow. Trees and shrubbery have SC rapid growth that within eighteen months tho ] immig can surround his abode with attractions which would require years to mature in less iavUret i climates. Fruits ripen and are ready for market l a full month before the California product. The bright sunshine makes life luxury, and the pure dry atmosphere brings health to all who inhae It | For the establishment of colonies such as have made of Southern California a arden, Arizona presents unrvaled opportunities Thousands of acres, now proitless, be made productive by he construction of irrigating ditohes and there IS no investment which assures larger or more permanent returns"