The Arizona sentinel., 1904-08-17
COLORADO AND AN.
 GILA VALLEYS,

In the valleys of the Colorado and G fla rivers there iSroom 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 home. No labOriouS clearing of the land is required: it lies almost ready for the plow. Trees aud shFubbery have rapid 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- pbere 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 profitleSS can be made productive by the com Struction of ifrisating ditcheS, and there is no investment which assures larger and more per m3nent 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, raSpberrieS, blac<berricS. entrants, goOSeberrieS and all varieties of small fruits can be successfully cultivated. h. deed, Yuma county is EOt only the natural home of the citrus and semitr0pical fruits, as almost every fruit, nut plant. grain. grass, or vegetable which c;sn 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- munerGtive returns than is afforded here. With
 
 case known to the damp and rigorous regions of the east and north are unknown, where the
 bright sunshine kisse' into bloom and fra grance every form of vegetation, and where the
 clear days and cool balmy nights are ono long continued poem of happiness and delight, we offer to capitalists an ideal field for invest ment and to hOmeSeCkCrS 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 homes to the sea. By constant overflOws and change of channel, the deposit of this rich vegetable
 matter has formed soil of extreme fertility Near the streams it is g dark alluvial mold. well adapted to small grains and grasses. Far
 ther back there is a rich sandy lOam, 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 thefruits cereals and veg ct.lbleS that the labor of the cultivat0r 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 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 1t IS an actual fact that grape cuttings have produced witEfn eighteen
 months. What state or territory can make such showing? The climate. 1t must be membered is nearly perpetual summer. Snow never falls in these southern valleys. The far< mer begins to plant in November, and by the middle or May hlS harvest IS rCduy. lSOSeS are in bloom, fruit trees are blooming, and She grain fields arc 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 luxur1antly, the former giving from eight to ten tons to the acre o1c the United States can be grown in Arizona, and
 nowhere are they found of better quality. .'BeSidcS the products mentioned. these SenLs- | tropical valleys produce cotton, suSar-cane, to- bacco, hemp and rice. With the exception of l the sugar cane but little attention is paid to the cultivation of other staples; but it has bcCD demonstrated that the SStii and climate arc | specially adapted to their successful growth | Cotton-growins is TO experiment. iH Arizona, l for it is on record that when the Europeans first penetrated this region, they found tho Pima Indians wearing fabrics Mdtie of cotton grown in the Gila valley:
 But it iS their adtsptsbility for fruit culture | that assures to these valley lands dense pop ulation and a prosperous future. Almost every variety Known can he raised in their fruitful soils. Tlfe apple, pear plum. peach, ;fpricoti quince sod dectarine, arc of delicious flavor. and give q generous yield. The grape of all va rfetieS is at home in these sunny v9leS No Diace in tho gra pc growing belt Ci the Pacific coast cssn show so prolific yicd The quality is all that could be desired; and the w1net although it's manufacture is yet experimental a IT.
 surpassed hfF any native product as q table bev- craze Experiments with the raiSin grape have shown that tbiS climate and soil possess every advantage for tho production and curing of this staple dFtscs Of commerce.
 Besides the fruits already mentioned the orange lemon lime olive, fig. poUGranate and others of the citrus family. can be grown sue eesSfully in the valleys of Southern Arizona. Orange trees are now in bearing In Salt river valley and ct Yuma; while the banana is also being cultivated ait the latter place. The hri-
 zona 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 more desirable region for the making of Q home. No laborious clearing of tks lInd lS re quired; it lies almost ready for the blow. Trees aud Shrubbery have so rapid growth that within eighteen months the immigrant can surround his abode with attractions which would require years to mature Tn less favored climates. Fruits ripen and are ready for nlr- ket a full month before the California product The bright sunshine is a luxury, and the pure, dry atmosphere brings health to all who inhalC it. For the este oiiShnert of colonies, such aS have made of Southern California Q garden, Arizona presents unT1valed opportunities. Thousands of acres, nov prodtless, can be made productive by the construction of irrigat ing ditcheS. and there is no investment ThicE assure larger or more permanent returns.