The Arizona sentinel., 1901-04-24

niSh all the water needed and good deal more. It would take TO great skill in engineering and not d very large sum of money either to con struct reservoirs or lakes in which to receive and store the overflow. There are natural basins or dry lakes into which by simple means tho water could be conveyed.
 The lands situated in and about the Gila val lev may conveniently be classified as follows: First. the bottom or overflow lands; ?, slightly higher valleys. lands subject to no overflow: 3, meSas or sloping uplauds 1, high but compar- ativcly level plains: }. mountains.
 The bottom lands. as well as those slightly h;rhcr. stretch along either side of the Gila and Colorado rivers for varying distances north and south until they meet the more elevated mcSaS which rise from the valley. The bottoms lie directly along the river and are subject to inun- dation annually. Immediately following the subsistence of the waters the local Indians were
 in former times accumtOmcd to plant corn. nl1rrpl<inS melons and other vegetables. These spring into maturity with startling rapidity, rarely failing to yield bOuntfully without addi- tioral irria aation. The custom is occasionally followed bv resident farmers to this day. with excellent results, although but single crop can be harvested. These bottoms form 9 per cent of the valley lands, and may without difficulty be secured from further invasion by system of diles and lcveeS if deemed necessary and desir- able. The soil throughout the valley is rich brownish yellow sandy loam, generous. mellow, porous. with a depth ranging from 10 20 feet, the whole resting upon underlying strata of gravel end sand that readily carry from the surface such excess of water as might otherwise prove injurious to seeds and growing plants.
 Concerning the geological formation of these lands. the following from the report of the citizens executive committee is sufficiently comprehensive:
 There is unmistakable geologic evidence that all this land during some prehistoric period was covered with water, constituting in fact dn enormous lake the surfaces rising ill places to upper portion of the outslIrting mesas- The soil lying at the bottom was made by the washing and erosion Of the surrounding mountains. The soda from the decOmpoScd vegetation, the mag nesia and lime from the magneSium-llme forma- tions. and the potash from the decomposing granite rocks were carried with unceasing re- gularity year by year, until deposited i'll the bottom. Eventually upon the disappearance of the lake the rich fertile alluvium. than which there iS none bettcr. was left to reward the efforts of the modern huSbandmen. But nature. not yet satisfied with her handiwOrk directed the accumulation of tn" detrituS washed from the distant mountainous region. AS q result, the soil is extremely rich in the elements best adapted to thorough fertilization, for it contains a certain amount of organic matter which, on decomposing, further enhances it's agricultural value By constant overflow and change Of channel the deposits are evenly distributed over considerable areas, the process continuing through centuries. These soils are further en- riched by decomposcd organic contributions, Including the SandStoncS marls, limCStonCS' ShaicS. etc. Besides the ingredients mentioned, q chemical analysis shows that iron. ammonia, and phOSphorc acid enter into its composition in the proportions best adapted to add to it's productive qualities. The extremes of tempera- tUTC are somewhat greater than on the mgh- lands. but there is also more moisture.
 '''Ihe bottom lands are so easily cultivated that 1t iS not uncommon. after clearing the sur face from the brush and Stubble. to pass oI CT the ground with an ordinary cultivatOr single time afterwards sowing to grain and grass En three or four months large crops are harvested, the soil meanwhile being entirely innocent of the piow. All plants seem to grow rapidly, maturing remarkably early. Indications of an- cicnt ditcheS are apparent throughout the val Icy, showing plainly the existence of irrigation works by the ancient AZtecS. CuTiOuSly enough, in certain instances. the identical routes of these long extinct people have been followed for cOdSideratGb.c distances by their modern sue ceSSorS.