The Arizona sentinel., 1905-03-01
COLORADO and CILA VALLEYS

IE the valleys of the Colorado ard Gila rivers tAcrc iS I0Om for thousands. It l. i.Ct tCC Iluch to say that nowhere within the limits of this broad union can be found more desirable re- zion for the making of a home. No labo orouiS clearing of the land k required: it lies almost ready for the blow. Trees aud Shrubbery have so rapid a growth that within eighteen months the immigI ant can surround his bodc 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 a luxury, and the pure dry atmos phere brings health to all who inhale it. For the establishment of colonies, such as are made in Southern California. Arizona presents rivaled opportunities. Thousands of acres now prOtiteSS can be made productive by the con struction of irrigating dftches, and there is n5 investment which assures larger and more per manent return.
 The statements in this article on Yuma county are not exaggerated; in fact they fall short of Ioing justice to this wonderful bit of country PineappieS. dates, almonds ana WalnutS will do well. Strawberries raSpberrieS. blackbcrrieS, surrentS. gooseberrieS and all varieties of Sifiall fruits cur be successfully cultivated In deed Yuma county is not Cnly the natural home of the citrus and SemtrOpical 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 ar6 Gumd county there can be no bet ter investment for capital seeking large and re- munerativc returns than is afforded here. With matchleSS climate, where all forms Of dis ease known to the damp and vigorous regions of the east and north afe unknown, where the bright sunshine kisse. into bloom and fra France every form of vegetation, ahd where the clear days and cS6l balmy nights are one long continued poem of happiness and delight, VIC can offer to capitalists an ideal field for invest Inent and to homeSeek6rS a v6ritabiG paradise in which. t5 settle.
 The soil of these valleys is amolg the richest on the continent. It is formed of the detrituS which the StrtamS for ages have brought down from thCir mountain homes i'll their journey to the sea. By constant overf0wS and change of channel. the deposit of this rich vegetable matter has formed soil of extreme fertility Near the streams it is dark alluvial mold well adapted to small trainS and grasseS. Far ther back there is a rich sandy loa2 mellow and porous, and especially favorable for fruit culture. It has been already demohstrated that the productive Capacity of these valleys is not stirpassed by lands of equal area in any lifiG is the growth of thefruitS cereals and veg: ctdbles that the lSbor Of the cultitatQr 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. Tie farmer plants cottonwood Sapling before his door, and within the year he has d 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 eau make such Showing? The climate, 1t must be re- nrembered, is nearly perpetual sininfer Snow -neveI falls ir these southern valleys. The far
 Rtr begins to plant in NOftmb6r, and by the m1uQle or Rhy ms Harvest IS ready: Roses are in bloom. fruit trees are blooming. Gnd the grain fields ire sea of green, when the fields of the Eastern farmers fire covered with snow and ice
 Every variety cf grains; erasses. fruits aud vegetables grown ill semitr0plc ZUhes cain Es produced in the valleys Of Arizona: Wheat; corn, barley oats and all the small grains give q yield of from twenty-five Lo fifty bushels per acre; Alfalfa timothy; clover RerHrT9d and all the cultivated gritSSpG grc'w luXufdEtly; the former ssvtnG rom eigtit to ten tons to the acre VN1n the United States can he grown in AIizena, and nowhere are they found of better quality:
 'BeSdes the products Mentioned. these semi; tropical valleys produce cotton: sugar:cane, to; bacc0 hemp and rice. With the exception a the sugaf-can but little attention iS paid t9 the cultivation of other staples; but it has been specially adapted t6 their successful growth. Cotton growing is no experiment. in Arizona, t9f 1t ts on record that when the Europeans first peIsetsSt6T this region. they found the Pima Indians Eearfns fabrics made Of cotton grown in the Gila valley
 But it is their ad4ptabiiity for fruit culture that assures to these valley }a1tis a dense pop ulGtfon and a prosperous futufe: Almost eyefT variety kEoTii can be raised in their fruitful soils. Tie apple, pear, plum. peach, apricot qnince and nestaTne gre 9r n 9ei1oqs + nVof' a;t or rieties is at home iff these sunny valeS. No place Tn the grape towing belt of the Pacitfe coast m e a6at SE PF9e % Ss and Tfs fse qus Wns although it's manufacture is yet experimental; IS of a fine flavor, delicious bouquet, and un Surpassed Ey any native product as table bev craze. Experiments with the raiSfn 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 er4nge, lemon, lime, olive; fig, pomgranate and otSerr of the citrus family, can be grown sue GtSsfulfy in the valleys of Southern Arizona Grange trees gre now nj bearing In Salt river valley and at Yumay while the banana is also Bsing cultivated at the latter place; The Ari3 Eona orange in quality and flavor wfH Compare faTorably with the best California.
 'EIn the valleys of the Colorado, the Salt and the GilG 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 region for the making of q home No laboribus clearing of the land is re- quired; it lies almost ready for the blow. Trees and shrubbery have so rapid a growth that within eighteen months the immigrant can surround 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 a 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 garden, AriZcn- presents unrivaled opportunities; ThouSaLds Of acres, now proftlesS, can be made productive by the coHStruction of irrigat ing ditcheS. and there is no investment which assures larger or more permanent returns