The Arizona sentinel., 1901-02-27

,ty-uct reservoirs CT lakes iu which to receive and store the oyrrdow. There are natural basins or dry lakes into which by simple means the water could be conveyed.
 ri1.o lands situated in ,,Ed a0out he Gila val l.z may conveniently be classified a. follows; First. the bottom O. overflow lands; ?, slightly higher valleys, lands subject to no overflow; 3 rnesas or .,loDiag upland5; 1. high but compar- a;ivolr level plains; 5. mountains.
 The bottom lands. aS well aS those slightly fichcr. stretch along either side Cf the Gila and Colorado rivers for varying distances north and sol,th. until they meet the more clcvGted resas which rise from the valley. The bottoms lie directly along tnc river and are subject to inun- 4a:ioa annually. Immediately following the s1I!,>ilcrcc Of the waters the local Indians were io former times accaE!.0lacd to plant corn. ,9r7n,irs melons and ether vegetables. These spring into maturity with startling rapidty, rarely failing 60 yield bountifuily without aGdi- tio,al irrigation. Tho custom iS occasionally followed by resident f2rEcr> to this day. with excellent results. although bat a aingie crop c2n he l,arro,ted. These bottoms form 25 per cent of tbo yalIev lands. and may without difficulty be secured from further invasion by a system of dilzes and ievees. if deemed necessary and deSiT- able The soil throughout the valley k a rich bro,yni,h yellow sandy foam. generous. mellow. Dovoas with a depth ranging from 6 to % 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 i, unmistazab2c geologic evidence that al thi- lard during some prehistoric period was covered with water. constituting in fact an cuorinouS lake. the surfaces rising in places to upper portion Of ;he oUc,lirt:ug nests. IhcSoil lying as the bottom vas made by the washing and crosiCn Of the surrounding mountains. The soda from the decompcSod vegetation. the mag nesi2 and lime from the mG"ue>iGn-Iime forIna- tions. and the potash from the dccOmpcsin@ granite rocks were carried With Enc"aSin@ re- gularity year by year. until deposited in the bottom. Eventually upon the disappearance oI the lake the rich fertile ailuyiu1n. than which there is none bc.ter. was left to reward the | efforts of the modern huSbandnen. But nature, i not yet sati>fcd with her hGrdiWCT5 directed | the accumulation Of the d2tritU7 washed from i the distant mountainous region. AS 8 result. i tie soil is extremely rich ia the elements best adapted to thorough fertilization. foTiJ contains a certain amount of organic matter which. on GccompoSirg. further enhances itS 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 Gecomposod organic contributions including tlc sardstoaos, lnarls, liTHestones
 shales. etc Besides tie ingredients mentioned
 a chemical analysis shows that iron. ammonia
 and phosphoricatid enter into it's composition in the proporfio3s best adapted to add to its productive qualities. The extremes of tenpera ture arc somewhat greater than on he high lands but there fs also more moisture.
 The bottom lands are % easily cultivated
 that it i, uot uncommon. after clearing the sur
 face from the brush and StUbblc to pass over
 the ground with an ordinary cultivdtor single time. afterwards sowing to grain and grass. 1T ] three CT four months large crCpS are harvested ] the soil meanwhile being entirely innocent Ci ! the blow. All plants seem to grow I&piGiE
 maturing remarkably early. Indications Ci an . cicut dil2heS are apparent throughout the val ley. showing plainly the existence or irrigation ! works bv the ancient AZtcCS CurlCUSly enough
 in ccrt.in instances. the Identical routes o1 these long extinct people have been followed To! . ccdsiGerdt2b!c distances Dy their EoItrn sue 1 ccs"OrS.