The Arizona sentinel., 1903-11-04
COLORADO ... AN.
 GlLA VALLEYS

In the valleys Of the Colorado and 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 more desirable re- zion for the making of 6 home. No laDorious clearing of the land Is requiredi it lies almost ready for the blow. Trees aud Shrubbery have so rapid growth that within eighteen months the immigrant can surround his abUd., with at fractions which would require years to mature in less favored climates. Fruits ripen ana arc 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 arc made h southern Calfornid. Arizona presents un- rivaled opportunities. Thousands of acres now pro6tlesS can be made productive by the con structiOn Of irrisasing ditches. and there is no invr,5 ,5InenC which assures larger and more per- m3nert return.
 The statements in this article on Yuma county are not exaggerated; in fact they fall short of doing justice to this wonderful bit of country PincappleS. dates, almonds and walnutS will do well. Strawberries. raSpberrieS, blacGberTtes cIrrants, gooSeberricS and all varieties of small fruits can be successfully cultivated. h. deed. Yuma county is not only the natural home of thC 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 c8plEaJ seeking large and re- munerative returns than is afforded here. With natchleSS climate. whert all forms of dis ease known to the damp and rigorous regions of the east and north are unknown. where the bright sunshine kiSSe' into bloom and fra granCf every form of vegetation, and where the clel" jays and cool balmy nights are one long continued poem rf happiness and delight. we can offer to capitalists an ideal field for invest ment and to homeSeekerS veritable 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 their journey to the sea. By constant overtiows and change of channel, the deposit of this rich vegetable matter has formed a 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 loam. mellow culture. IL 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- litic is the growth of thefruitS, cereals and veg ctLbleS shat the labor Of the cultivatOr Is re- duced to the minimum. In nearly all of them two crops |. year can be grown, and vegetation is one month head of California The farmer plants q 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 hare produced within eighteen months What state or territory can make suoh d 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 the grain fields are sea of green. when the ncldS of the Eastern farmers are covered with snow and ice
 Every variety of grains, grasses. fruits and vegetables grown in 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 acre. 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 AIiZona, and nowhere are they found of better quality.
 Besides the products mentioned. these semi tropical valleys produce cotton. Sug2rcane. to- bacco, hemp and rice. With the exception of the Sllgar-cane. but little attention is paid to the cultivation of other staples; but it has been demonstrated thIt the soil and climate are specially adapted to their successful growth. Cotton-growing is no experiment in Arizona for it is on record that when the Europeans first penetrated this region, they found the Pima Indians wearing fabrics made of cotton yrowu in the Giia valley.
 But it iS their addpta bility for fruit culture that assures tO these valley lands dense pop ulation and prosperous future. Almost every variety known can be raised ill their fruitful soils. The apple, pear, plum. peach apricot quince and nectarine, arc of delicious flavor and give a generous yield. The grape of all va rietieS is at home in these sunny valeS. No place in the grape-grow wing belt of the Pacific coast can show 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- surpassed by any native product a table bev craze. Experiments with tine 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 sue ceSSfully in the valleys Of Southern Arizona. Orange trees are HOW 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 tho (iiln 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 more desirable region for the making of home. No labOTiouS clearing of the land is re- quired: it lies almost ready for the blow. Trees and Shrubbery have so rapid a 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 kel q full month before the California product. The bright sunshine is a luxury. and the pure, dry atmosphere brings health to all who inhale 1t. For the establishment of colonies. such as have made of Southern California a garden, Arizona presents unrivaled opportunities. Thousands of acres. now proftlesS. can be made productive by the construction of irrigat ing ditcheS and there is no investment which assures larger or more permanent returns.