The Arizona sentinel., 1903-12-09
COLORADO AN. AN.
 GIlA VALLEYS


 In the valleys of the Colorado and Cila rivers there k room for thousands U iS not tco Eiuch 10 say that nowhere within the limits of this broad union can be found more desirable rc- zion for the making of q home No lnbOriouS clearing of the land is required; it lies almost ready for the blow. Trees aud Shrubbery have so rapid q 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 ripcn and arc ready for the market Q full month before the California products. The bright sunshine makes life a luxury, and the pure dry atmoS- pherc brings health to all who imhale it. For the establishment of colonies, such uS are made in Southern California, Arizona presents un- rivaled opportunities Thousands of acres now prottieSS can be nl;lle productive by the con- struction of irrig3ting ditchcs. and there is no investment which assures larger and more per manent return.
 The statements in this article onYuma county are not exaggerated il fact they fall short of doing justice to this wonderful bit of country Pincapples, dates almonds and walnuts will do we'll Strawberries, raSpDerrieS, blackberrieS, currantS, gOoSeberrtcS and all varieties of small fruits can be successfully cultivated. In deed. Yuma county iS not only the natural home of the citrus and SCmitropical fruits, GS 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 ! una and Yuma county there can be no bet lUStSJJntHl LOT CbpltGl ScthiIlH ltTSc anu Tc- munerative returns than iS afforded here. With matchleSS climate. where all forms of dis case known to the damp and rigorous regions of the east and north are unknown where the grance every form of vegetation. and where the clear days and cool balmy nights are one long continued poem of happiness and delight, we can offer to capitalists an ideal field for invest nelt and to homeSeelerS a vertable paradise; in which to settle.
 The. soil of these valleys is among the richest r. Nf fl,1, aatvt which the streams for ages have brought down from their mountain homes in their journey to the sea. By constant OYeriiowS and change of channel the deposit Of this rich vegetable matter has formed a soil Of extreme fertility Near the streams 1t iS dark alluvial mold, well adapted to small grains and grasses. Far ther back there Is rich sandy loan. 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 fife iS the growth of thcfruitS cereals and veg etIblcS that the labor of the cultivator is re- duced to the minimum. Ia nearly all of them two crops a year can be grown. and vegetation is one month head of California. The farmer plants cottonwood Sapling before his door, and within ;he year he has a SEa0e tree twenty five feet high! Alfalfa can bc cut six times dur ing the season. ana It lS an GCtGti Tact that grape cuttings have produced within eighteen months. What state or territory can make such showing? The climate. it must be re-
 
 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 q sea of green, when the fields of the Eastern farmers are covered with snow snd ice.
 Every variety Of grains, grasses fruits and vegetables grown in Scmitropic zones can be produced in the valleys of Arizona. Wheat, corn barley, oats and all the small grains give a yield of from twenty five 10 fifty bushels per
 -I-v l. .1 all the cultivated grasses grow luxuriantly, the former giving from eight to ten :OnS 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. sugar-cane, to- bscco. hemp and rice: With the exception of the Sugar.eaae, but Httlc attention k 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 growing iS no experiment in Arizona, for it iS o1 record that when the Europeans first penetrated this region, they found the Pima Indians wearing fabrics made oi cotton grown ill the Gi}a valley.
 "Bu- it l. their adaptability for fruit culture that ;,IrcS to these valley lands dense pop ulation and prosperous future: Almost every variety known can Oe raised in their fruitful soils The apple, pear, plum, peach, apricot, ouincc and nectarinc are Of delicious flavor, and give generous yield. The grape of all va rietieI k at home in these sunny wales. No DldCt III tilt SIOPJSi ONlIlE1 bClt pl ItlV dNlHC coast can show 50 prolific q yield. The quality is all that could be deSircd and the wine, although its manufacture k yet experimental, iS of fine flavor delicious bouquet and un- surpassed by any native product as table bev- 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 pomgranatc and others Of the citrus family, can be grown sue ceSsfullv i'll 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- Gona orange in quality and flavor will compare favorably with the best California.
 Tn 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 a home No laboriouS clearing Of the land k re- quired; it lies almost ready for the blow. Trees and Shrubbery have so rapid growth that within eighteen months the immigrant can surrounl his abode with attractions which climates Fruits ripen and are ready for mar ket full month before the California product. The bright sunshine is q 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 q garden, Arizona presents unrivaled opportunities. Thousands of acres, now profitleSS, can be made productive by the construction of irrigat- ing ditcheS and there is no investment which assures larger or more permanent returns