The Arizona sentinel., 1905-03-15
YUMA ARIZONA. WEDNESDAY,. MARCH 15 1oo5
COL 0RADO and GILk VALLEYS

In the valleys of the Colorado ard 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 re- zion 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 a growth that within eighteen months the immigrant can surround his 2, bode 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 Gry atmoS- phere brings health to ali who inhalc it. For the establishment of colonies, such are made n Southern California. Arizona presents un- riyalCd opportunities. Thousands of acres now protitlesS can be made productive by the con- struction of irrigating ditcheS, and there is no investment which assures larger and more per mauent 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 PinenpplcS, dates, almonds and walntItS will do well. Strawberries, raSpberrieS, blackberrieS, currents gooSeberrieS and all varieties of small fruits can be successfully cultivated. In deed, Guma county is not only the natural home of the citrus and SernitrOpical fruits, GS almost every fruit. nut, plant grain. grass, C1 vegetable which gan be produced in either tropic of the temp perate zones will thrive in the rich and fertile soils
 With the bright prospects ahead of the town of Yum& and Yuma county there can be no bet ter investment for capital seeking large and rS-
 
 nlatcEleSS climate, where all forms Of dis ease known to the damp and vigorous regions of tfle east and north are unknown, where the bright sunshine kiSSe' into bloom and fra grancc every form of vegetation and where tho clear days and cool b9lmy nights are one long continued poem Of happiness and delight we offer to capitalists an ideal cid for invest ment and to homcSeekers veritable paradise in which to settle.
 The soil of these valleys is among the richest on the continent. It is forged of the detritus which SfI.hsTnS h.iN hpnIIfrht down from their mountain hemeS in their journey to the sea. By constant overflowS and change of ccan1el. tlYe deposit of this rich vegetable matter has formed q soil of extreme fertility Near tine 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 tor 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 tEefrGitS cereals and veg: ctLbleS that the lsbOr of the cultivatOr 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 saplng before his door, and within the year he has q shade tree twenty five feet high: Alfalfa can be cut six times dur ing the season, and it is at actual fact that grape cuttings have produced within eighteen monthSt What state or territory can make such showing? Tine climate, 1t must be re- membcred is nearly perpetual summer. Snow
 
 mcr begins to plant in November, and by the middle ef May his harvest iS ready, Roses ure in bloom. fruit trees are blooming. and the grain fields arc a sea of green, Ehen the fields of the Eastern farmers arc covered with snow and ice.
 Every variety Of grains, grasses, fruits and vegetables grown i'll semitropic zones can be produced fH the valleys Of Arizona Wheat, corn barley. oats and all the small grains give a yield of from twenty-five ter 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 AIiZonT, and nowhere are they found of better quality.
 tBeSides the products mentioned these semi tropical valleys produce cotton, sugar-cane to- hacco hemp and rice, With the exception of the sugar-cane, but little attention iS paid to 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 1t is 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 ad,tpta bility for fruit culture that assures to these valley lands q dense pop ulatiOn and prosperous future. Almost every variety known can be raised in their fru tfui soils. The apple. pear, plum, peach, apricot, quinCe and nectarine. are of delicious flavor. and give generous yield. The grape Of all va riCJitS is at homo in these sunny valcS. No place in the grape growing belt Of the Pacific coast can snow so prOll1c a ylciC. me luaI1IV is all that could be desired; and the wine, although it's manufacture iS yet experimental, is of @ fine flavor, delicious bouquet, and un- surpassed by any native product as a table bey- craze. Experiments with the raiSin grn pie have shown that th'S 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 cc>'Sfully in thc 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.
 Tn the valleys of the Colorado, the Salt and the CSila rivers there is room for thousands thc limits of this broad Union can be found a more desirable region for the making of q home. No labOriouS clearing Of the land iS re- Qulrcd; It lies almost ready fer the blow. Trees and Shrubbery have so rapid d growth that within eighteen months the immigrant can surround his abode with attractions which would require years to mature in less favored climates Fruits ripcn and are ready for mar ket full month before the California product. The bright sunshine is q luxury, and the pureS dry atmosphere brings health to all who inhale it. For the establishment of colonies, such have made of Southern California garden, Arizona presents unrivaled opportunities. Thousands of acres, now protitleSS, can be made productive by the construction Of irriGat ing ditcheS and there is no investment which assures larger or more permanent returns
 Senator Eugene Hale of Maine says the United States navy is l. L |