The Arizona sentinel. [volume] (Arizona City [Yuma], Yuma County, A.T. [Ariz.]) 1872-1911, 1905-06-07
COLORADO and GILk VALLEYS

In the valleys Gf the Colorado ard Gfla 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 re<
gion for the making of home No laborouiS
clearing of the land is required; it lies almost
ready for the plOw Trees aud Shrubbery have
so rapid growth that within eighteen months
the immigrant can surround his : bode with at
fractions which would require years to mature
| in less favored climates. Fruits ripen and are
ready for the market q full month before the
| California products. The bright sunshine
makes life q luxury, and the pure dry atmos-
pbere brings health to all who inhale it. For
! the establishment OF colonies, such are made
| in Southern California, Arizona presents
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 perE
manent return.
The statements in this article onY una 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
/ we'll. Strawberries, raSpberrieS blackberrieSs
! currents, gooSeDerrleS and all varieties OF
small fruits ear 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 cBpital seeking large and re-
munerative returns than is afforded here. With
|
| ease known to the damp and ii ;Orous regions
| of the east and north are unknown, where the
bright sunshine kiSSe' 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 md delight, We
offer to capitalists an ideal eld for invest
ment and to hOmeSeekerS a veritable 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
frOr n in oxI
! to the sea. BY constant overfowS and change
| OF channel, the deposit Of this rich vegetable
matter has formed q soil of extreme fertility
| Near the streams it is a dark alluVia1 molds
well adapted to small grains and grasses. FarF
tder back there is rich sandy loam, mellow
and porous. and especially favorable for fruit
culture. Is has been already demonstrated
that the productive capacity of these valleys is
| not surpassed by lands Of eqaal area in any
part eff the United States. So rapid and pro-
life is the growth Of thefruits, cereals and veg
cttblcs shat the labor OF the ealtivator is
duced to the minimum. In nearly all of them two
crops i YEAR can be grown. and vegetation is
one month head OF California. The farmer
plants a cottonwood slpting 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 it is an actual fact that
grape cuttings have produced within eighteen
months! What state or territory can make
such showing? The climate, il 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 tho
middle OF May MS 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.
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
oar n I-pa m raised iu
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, susar-eane, to-
bacco. hemp and rice. With the exception of
the Sugar-cane, but little attention is paid tCs
the cultivation of other staples; but it las 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 Gila valley.
But it is their addptability for fruit culturef
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 favor
and give generous yield. The grape OF all va
rietieS is at home in these sunny wales No
place in the grape-grOwing belt of the Pacific;
coast can show so prolific q yield. The quality
is all that could be desired; and the wine,
although its manufacture is yet experimental,
surpassed by any native product a table bev-
erage. 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, 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 will compare
favorably 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 wfthin
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 is
Quired; il lies almost ready for tAe plow.
Trees and Shrubbery have SO rapid q growth
that within eighteen months theimmigrant can
surround his abode with attractions which
would require years - 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 whofnhale;
it, For the establishment of colonies, such as
have made OF Southern California a gar1ens
ArlzonG presents unriYafed opportunities.
TkousaEdS Of acres, row prOftleSS;. cla' be-
made productive by the construction of iFrigat
ing dItckeS. and there is NJ investment 1shicls
assures lareer or more permanent returns. ~