The Arizona sentinel. [volume] (Arizona City [Yuma], Yuma County, A.T. [Ariz.]) 1872-1911, 1904-01-27
COlORADO AND AND
GIlA Valleys

In the valleys OF the Colorado and ella rivers
there IS room for thousands. 1t is not too much
to say that nowhere within the limits of this
broad union can be found more desirable re-
glon for the making of Il home. No laboriouS
clearing of The land is required; it lies almost
ready Tor the pIoW Trees and Shrub5ery have
so rapid growth that within eighteen months
the Immigrant can surround his abode with at
fractions which would require years TO mature
iii less favored climates. Fruits Tipen and are
ready for the market fIil month before the
California products. The bright sunshine
makes life luxury, and the pure dry atmOS-
phere brings health to all who inhale il. For
the establishment Of colonies. such AZ are made
IN southern California, Arizona presents un-
rivaled opportunities. Thousands of acres now
proitleSS can be made productive by the con-
struction Of irriga:ing bitches. and there i; no
investment which assures larger and>more PEI
maacnt 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
PineupplCS, dates, almonds and WalnutS will do
well. Strawberries raSDDerrieS, biackbCrrieS,
currantS, gOoSebeTrieS and all varieties of
small fruits can be successfully cultivated. In
deed, Yuma county is not only the natural
home of tho citrus and semitropica 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 cCpital seeking large and re-
munerativa returns than is afforded here With
matches; climate. where all forms of dis
case known IL the damp and rigorous regions
of the east and nOI.h are unknown. where the
bright sunshine ki'se' into bloom and fra
GRANGE every form of vegetation, and where the
clear days and cool balmy nights are one long
continued poem of happiness and delight we
offer to capitalists an ideal field for invest
ment and to hOmcSeekerS Veritable paradise
in which TO settle.
The soil of these valleys is among the richest
On the continent. 1t is formed of the GetTituS
which the streams for ages have brought down
from their mountain homes in their journey
to &he sea. BT constant oTerfiowS and change
of channel, the deposit of this rich vegetable
matter has formed soil OF extreme fertility.
Near the streams it is Il 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-
life is the growth Of the fruits. cereals and veg
et4blcS that the labor of the cGltivator is re-
duced to the minimum, In nearly all Of them two
crops u year can be grown, and vegetation Is
one month head of California. The farmer
plants cottonwood Saplin@ before his door,
and within the year he mas IL shade tree twenty
five feet high. Alfalfa can be cut six times dur
ing the season, ana it is an actual fact that
grape cuttings have produced within eighteen
months. Wha5 state or territory can make
such d showing? The climate, it must be re-
membeced. Is nearly perpetual summer. Snow
nevc; 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 a 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.
''DeSideS the products mentioned these semi
tropical valleys produce cotton, Sugar-canc to-
bacco hemp and rice With the exception Of
the sugar cane, but little attention is paid to
the cultivation Of other staples: but il has been
demonstrated that the soil and climate are
specially adapted to their successful growth.
ffOttOn-%rONilg Is no experiment IN Arizona,
for it i on record thar when the Europeans
irS5 penetrated this region they found the
Pima Indians wearing fabrics made OF cotton
grown in the ella valley.
But ii is their adiptability for fruit culture
that assures to these valley lands Il dense pop
ul2tion and a prosperous future. Almost every
variety known can be raised in their fruitful
soils The apple. pear. plum peach, apricot,
Guince and nectarine. are Of delicious favor.
md give n generous Weld. The grape of all va
ricties is at home in these sunny wales. No
place iE the grapS-grOWlnS Delt or the Paclhc
coast can show so prolific n yield. The quality
is all that could be desired; ana the wine,
although its manufacture Is yet experimental,
is Of fine favor, delicious bouquet. and I'M
surpassed by any native product table bev
erage Experiments with the raiSin grape have
shown that this climate AID soil possess every
advantage for the production and cGring OF this
staple article of commerce.
Besides the fruits already mentioned, the
orange, lemon, lime, olive, fig, pOmgranate Gnd
others of the citrus family, can be grown sue
ceSSfully in the valleys of Southern Arizona.
Orange trees are now in bearing II Salt river
valley and at Yuma: while the banana is also
being cultivated at the latter place. The Ari-
IONA orange in quality and flavor will compare
fayorably with the best California.
In the valleys OF the Colorado. the Salt and
the ella rivers there is room for thousands.
1t 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 l2boriouS clearing Of tic land is re-
quired; it lies almost ready for the plOw.
Trees and Sh -ub5ery have so rapid growth
that within eighteen months the INN igTant can
surround his abode with attractions which
would require years to mature in less favored
climates. Fruits ripen and are ready for mar
kel full month before the California product.
The bright sunshine is q luxury, and the pure,
dry atmosphere brings health 70 all who inhaie
it, For the establishment OF colonies, such as
have made OF Southern California Il garden,
Arizona presents Unrivaled opportunities.
Thousands of acres, now prottlesS, can be
made productive by the construction of irrigat-
ing bitches. and there is no investment which