The Arizona sentinel., 1904-12-14
COLORADO and GILA VALLEYS

In the valleys of the Colorado ard Gila rivers
there is room for thousands. 1t is not too much
to say that nowhere within the limits OF 6his
broad union can be found a more desirable re-
gion for the making of home. No laborious
clearing OF the land is required; it lies almost
ready for the plOw 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 ripen and are
ready for the market a 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 un-
rivaled opportunities. Thousands Of acres now
proftless can be made productive by the con-
Struction OF irrigating bitches, and there is no
investment which assures larger and more per-
manenc 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
well. Strawberries, raspberrfeS, blockberrieS,
currants. gooseperries and all varieties of
small fruits Cali be successfully cultivated. In
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 capital seeking large and re-
munerative returns than is afforded here. With
Il matchleSS climate, where, all forms OF dis
case known to the damp and rigorous regions
Of the east and north are unknown where the
bright sunshine kiSSee into bloom and fra
gracoe every form of vegetation, and where the
clear days and cool balnly nights are one long
continued poem of happiness aud delight, We
can Offer to capitalists an ideal field for invest
rnent 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
when the streams for ages lave brought down
from their mountain homes In their Journey
to the sea. BY constant oyertows and change
of channel, the deposit OF this rich vegetable
matter has formed q soil of extreme fertility
Near the streams it 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. II 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-
iiic is the growth OF thefruits, cereals and veg
ctIbleS that the labor of the cultfvator 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 d cottonwood Sapling before his door,
and within the year he has shade tree twenty
five feet hight Alfalfa can be cut six times dur
ing the season, and 10 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 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 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 Arizona, 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 sugar cane. but little attention is paid to
ila cultivation OF other staples; bCt il has been
demonstrated tnaJ tie sCll ana climate are
] specially adapted TO their successful growth
/ Cotton-grOWiag is no experiment III AriZO1a,
! for it is on record that when the Europeans
! frs: penetrated this region, they found the
I Pima indians wearing fabrics made Of cotton
! grown in the Gila valley.
But it is their addptability for fruit culture
| that assures to these valley lands dense pop
ulation and prosperous future Almost every
| variety known can be raised in their fruitful
| soils. The apple, pear. plum, peach, apricot
! ounce and nectarine. are Of delicious flavor
! and give a generous yield. The grape OF all va
rieties is at horne in these sunny wales Nc
| place in the grape-grOW1ng belt or the PaclnC
| coast can show so prolific yield. The quality
| is all that could be desired; and the wine
although its manufacture is yet experimental
! Is of ine favor, delicious bouquet, and un
| surpassed by any native product as a table bev
erage Experiments with the raiSin grape have
shown that this climate and soil possess every
| advantage for the production and curing or this
staple article Of commerce.
Besides the fruits already mentioned, the
/ orange lemon, lime, olive, fig, pomgranate anc
! others Of the citrus family, can be grown sue
/ 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 anC
! the Gila rivers, there is room for thousands
1t is not too much to say that nowhere wfthlr
! the limits of this broad Union can be found q
! mere desirable region for the making OF 8
home. No labori0uS clearing Of the land Is re
| quireds it lies almost ready for the pIow
/ Trees and Shrubbery have so rapid q growth
| that hin eighteen months the immigrant ear
surround his anode with attractions whSef
would require years to mature in less favored
climates. Fruits ripen and are ready for mar
! ket a full month before the California product
The bright sunshine is luxury and the pure
dry atmosphere brings health to all who fnhalt
it. For the establishment of colonies, such a:
have made of Southern California q garden
\ Arizona presents unrivaled opportunities
| thousands of acres, row protltleSS, can bt
made productive by the construction OF Ifrsgat
| ing bitches and there is no investment which
assures larper or more Derraanent returns.