The Arizona sentinel., 1903-11-25
COLORADO AND AN.
 GIlA VALLEYS


 to say that nowhere within the limits of this broad union can be found a more desirable re- zion for the making Of a home. No laborious clearing of the land iS required; 1t lies almost ready for the blow. Trees aud Shrubbery have so rapid a growth that within eighteen months the immigrant can surround his abode with at- fractions which would require years to mature in less favored climates. Fruits rpcn and are ready for the market full month before the California products. The bright sunshine makes life a luxury, and the pure dry atmos- phere brings health to all who inhale it. For the establishment of colonies, such as are made in Southern California Arizona presents rlvaleG opportunities. Thousands of acres now prohtleSS can be made productive by the con- struction of irrigutiug ditcheS. and there is no investment which assures larger and more per Inanent return.
 The statements in this article onYuma county are not exaggerated; In fact they fall short of doing justice to this wonderful bit of country PineappleS, dates, almonds and walnuts will do we'll Strawberries, raspberrieS, blackberries, currantS gooSeberrieS and all varieties of small fruits can be successfully cultivated. h. deed, Yuma county iS not only the natural home of the citrus and Semitropical fruits, as almost every fruit, nut, plant grain, grass or vegetable which can be produced in either tropic of the temperate zones will thrive in the rich and fertile soils
 With the bright prospects ahead of the town of Yuma and Yuma county there can be no bet ter investment for cBpital seeking large and re- munerative returns than is afforded here. With a matchleSS climate, where all forms of dis ease known to the damp and rigorous regions or the east anu nOrIn strC unkQOWn. HncrG the bright sunshine kSSe into bloom and fra grance every form of vegetation, and where the clear days and cool balmy nights one long continued poem of happiness and delight, we can offer to capitalists an ideal field for invest ment and to hOmeScekerS q yeritablc paradise in which to settle.
 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 thefr journey to the sea. By constant overflowS and change nf rfR nfph O matter has formed soil of extreme fertility Near the streams it is a dark alluvial mold, well adapted to small grains and grasses Far ther back there Is q rich sandy foam, mellow and porous, and especially favorable for fruit culture. It has been already demonstrated that the productive capacity of these valleys is not surpassed by lands of equal area in any part of the United States So rapid and pro- life is the growth of thefruitS, cereals and veg etLbles that the labor of the cultivator iS re- duced to the minimum In nearly all of them two crops q year can be grown. and vegetation is one month head of California The farIner plants cottonwood sapling before his door, and within the year he has shade tree twenty. five feet high! Alfalfa can be cut six times dur. ing the season. and it is an actual fact that grape cuttings have produced within eighteen months. What state or territory can make such showing? The climate it must be re- membered, is nearly perpetual summer. Snow never falls in these southern valleys The far mer begins to plant in November and by the middle of May his harvest is ready. Roses are
 in bloom. fruit trees are blooming. and d\the grain fields are sea of green when the fields of the Eastern farmers are covered with snow and ice.
 Every variety of grains, grasses. fruits and vegetables grown Tn Semitropic zones can be produced in the valleys of Arizona. Wheat, corn. barley, oats and all the small grains give yield of from twenty-five to fifty bushels per Gcre. Alfalfa, timothy, clover, Bermuda and 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 in Arizona, and nowhere are they found of better quality
 ''BeSideS 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 cultivation of other staples; but it has been demonstrated that the soil and climate are specially adapted to their successful growth. CottOn-grOwihg is no experiment in Arizona, for it is on record that when the Europeans first penetrated this region, they found the Pim. Indians wearing fabrics made of cotton grown in the Gia valley.
 But it is their addptability for fruit culture that assures to these valley lands dense pop ulation and q prosperous future Almost every variety known can be raised in their fruitful soils The apple. pear, plum, peach apricot. uuince and nectarine. are of delicious flavor, and give q generous yield. The grape of all va rictieS is at home in these sunny wales. No place in the grapc-growing belt Of the Paclhc coast can show so prolific yield. The quality is all that could be desired; and the wine, although it's manufacture iS yet experimental, is of fine flavor, delicious bouquet, and un-  craze. Experiments with the raiSin grape have shown that this climate and soil possess every advantage for the production and curing of this staple article of commerce.
 ''BeSides the fruits already mentioned, the orange lemon lime, olive. fig, pOmgranate and others of the citrus family, can be grown sRc- cesSfully in the valleys of Southern Arizona. Orange trees are now in bearing In Salt river valley and at Yuma: while the banana is also being cultivated at the latter place. The Ari- zOna orange in quality and flavor will compare favorably with the best California.
 In the valleys of the Colorado. the Salt and the Gila rivers, there is room for thousands. It is not too much to say that nowhere within the limits of this broad Union can be found a more desirable region for the making of q home. No laboriOus clearing of the land Is re- quired it lies almost ready for the plO%. Trees and Shrubbcry have so rapid q growth that within eighteen months the immigrant can surround his abode with attractions which would require years to mature in less favored climates. Fruits ripen and are ready for mar ket full month before the California product. The bright sunshine is luxury, and the pure, dry atmosphere brings health to all who inhale it. For the establishment of colonies, such as have made of Southern California garden, Arizona presents unrivaled opportunities. Thousands of acres, now proitleSS, can be made productive by the construction of irrigat- ing ditcheS. and there is no investment which