The Arizona sentinel., 1905-05-17
COLORADO and GILA VALLEYS

In the valleys ofthe Colorado ard Gila rivers
there Is room Tor thousands. 1t Is not too much
broad union can be found more desirable re-
gion for the making of home. No laborouis
clearing OF the land IS required; it lies almost
ready for the plow. Trees ard shrubbery have
50 rapid growth that within eighteen months
the Immigrant caa surround his : bode with at
fractions which would require years to mature
in less favored climates. Fruits ripen and are
really for the market full month before the
California products. The bright sunshine
makes life luxury, and the pure dry stmos-
phere brings health to all who inhale 1t. For
the establishment of colonies, such as are made
in Southern California. Arizona presents un-
rivaled opportunities. Thousands Of acres now
protitlesS can be made productive by the con-
Struction of irrigating bitches, and there is no
Investment which assures larger and more per-
maEent return.
The statements in this article onYufsfa 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, blaekberries:
currents, goOSeberrfeS and all varieties of
small fruits can be successfully cultivated. In;
deed, Yuma county is not only the natural
home OF the citrus and Semitropical fruits,
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 cBpital seeking large and re-
munerative returns than is afforded here. With
d mntchleSs climate where all forms of dis
ease known to the damp and vigorous regions
of the east and north are unknown, where the
bright sunshine kiSse' into bloom and fra
granee every form OF vegetation and where the
clear days and cool balmy nights are one long
continued poem of happiness Ind delight, We
can offer to capitalists ideal Fl eld for invest
ment and to homeSeekerS verftable paradise
in which to settle.
The soil of these valleys is among the richest
ON the continent: 1t 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 overfowS and change
Of channel, the deposit of this rich vegetable
matter has formed soil of extreme fertility
Near the streams It is q dark alluvial mold
well adapted to small grains and grasses: Far
and porous, and especially favorable for frufg
culture. 1t has been already demonstrated
that the productive capacity OF these valleys is
not surpassed by lands OF eduaf area in any
part of the United States: so rapid and pro-
life is the growth Of the FRUITS Cereals and veg|
ctIbleS that the labor OF the coltivat9r Is re-
dueed to the minimum, In nearly all OF tnem two
crops Il year can be grown ana Vegetation is
one north head OF, CaliforHij. The farmer
plants Il cottonwood sapling before HIS door;
and within the year he has a shade tree twenty
Eve feet highl Alfalfa can be cut SIX times dur-
ing the season, and 1t is an actual fact that
grape cuttings have produced within eighteen
months; What state tate or territory can make
membered. is nearly perpetual summer. Snow
never falls in these southern valleys. The far
mer begins to plant in November and by the
I'm 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 Senitropic 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. Sug2r-cane, to-
bacco. hemp and rice. With the exception of
the sugar-cane, but little attention is paid tor
the cultivation Of other staples; but 1t 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 on record that when the Europeans
first penetrated this region, they found the
Pima Indians wearing fabrics made OF cotton
grown in the ella valley.
But it is their addptability for fruit culture
that assures to these valley lands dense pop
ulation and a prosperous future. Almost every
variety known can be raised in their fruitful
soils. The apple, pear, plum peach, apricotI
ounce and nectarine. are OF delicious flavor
and give q generous yield The grape OF all va
rietes is at home in these sunny wales. No
place in the grape growing belt OF the Paclhc
coast can show so prolific u yield. The quality
is all that could be desired; and the winci
although it's manufacture is yet experimental
surpassed by any native product table bev+
erage. Experiments with the ra;sin 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 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 viii compare
favOrably with the best California.
I'm the valleys OF the Colorado, the Salt and
the Gila 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 q
more desirable region for the making Of a.
home. No laborious clearing OF the land is re-
quired; it lies almost ready for the plow.
Trees and shrubbery have so rapid q growth
that within eighteen months the Immigrant cam
HIS abode with attractions which
would require years to mature in less favored
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
it. For the establishment OF colonies, such as
have made of Southern California y gardent
Arizona presents unrivaled opportunities.
OF acres, now profitlesS can be
made productive by the construction of irrigat
ing bitches, and there is no inveStmentlwhicr
assures Iarger or more permanent returns.