The Arizona sentinel., 1908-12-02

1 the Colorado On both sides, incident to the
 depOsitidg Of this mass Of debris during all i the past ages. Going through the country
 on the Arizona side of the river, for several miles below Yuma, one encounters the same i type of country and soil that is found in the { Imperial Valley country around Brawley, Calexic0 and other points west of the river
 The fertility of the black prairie soils of Illi-
 nois has astonished people engaged in agri- culture for nearly one hundred years. The fertility of the valleys Of the Nile has been a
 matter of history for at least coco years. Those who ard familinr with Illinois prairie soil
 and those who know what the valley of the
 Nile is for agriculture. khow that this lower Colorado River region surpasSes both of them.
 If you ask a farmer along this stretch of country if the soil is six feet, his eyes will
 open with astonIShment ai your ignorance.
 He will tell you no one knows whether ii is
 Co feet, 69 or 6C00 feet deep. It is practically without bottom. 1t is SD thoroughly well
 mixed with sand, disintegrated granite and
 other rocks that it never breaks. It is as easily worked as heap Of ashes, and re-
 spends to cultivation u way that is mar vicious.
 SO hSLaf I-AN OAAOI 11f11G61'
 Arizona has established an experiment station in the heart Of this big valley3 which { is some twenty-four miles long, and in spots Gen 10 twelve miles wide, down on the lower
 level. The results are wonderful. Last week they were cutting a crop of alfalfa on this ex- perimental farm, and for seven consecutive months they will cut succeeding crops. The only months when the crop IS not cut here are December and January.
 Cotton and tobacco grow with the greatest luXurlancc, and this rich alluv;al soil will be noted in a very few years as the ideal spot in ! the whole country for dairying, hog raising.
 the production of poultry and vege ablcs, which one hesit2tes to call early or late, as they will
 be perennial New potatoes will be produced
 in the middle of January, toratoes will be ripe by the first of March, ripe grapes viii be sathered in the early days of May. and apri- cots by the middle of the same month. Chic
 lens and turkeys flourish there in the winter time beyond all experience anywhere else.
 The rainfall is exceedingly light and comes nly three or four times in whole winter.
 With an abundanqf of green alfalfa and veEet- ables the ,dry and not overheated climate prevailing in the winter months, chickens are
 rec from the disease that make their raising
 ificult clsewherey There is no spot in South
 ern Illinois or Missouri so adapted to the pro- iucticn of corn as this valley along the Cobra do River. With alfalfa and corn, the butter, cheese, cgrs, poultry and pork to be raised on
 twcnty-acre farm will amaze those who have the experience in American agricultural affairs
 The winter climate around Yuma is thing so intoxicatingly s2lpbrious That no words car describe it. Those deserts of America, as WE have regarded them heretofore, seem to defy the Ills ih2t human nature elsewhere is so prone to contract and suffer from The atmoS phcre iS as dry aS punli, the skies cloudlessiy
 clear, the air mild as possible and every breath seems to be an inspiration of new life. ! The United States has an experiment farm on i the mesa just on the outskirts of Yuma Here ultS even more marvellous than in the valley are produced. Down on the lower levels there are little nips Of frosty mornlrES occasionally during Dc .Tpber and January, but on the mesa the breath of frost never toucheS the most de- i icate vegetation. Oranges grown at the FPdcr 1 al experiment. station arc unsurpassed in their delicious lality.
 Yuma is d busy, up-to-date town. The more ! modern impr0vemenss consist Of several blocks Of attractive brick buildings. a threestory post office building, also Of brick and many other
 nice structures. Among some of the greater improvements which are being made, are
 &35,0G0 schcol building, 000 icc plant. n fine clubhouse fer the railroad employees, a larger passenger depot, and the probability Of 9 new court house to cost s75,O0G. There is con- siderable business done there but the people
 have not begun to awaken to tho vast possibili ties Of ;he place. They should touce erect an
 up-tO-late tourist hotel. It should have ample
 grounds around it md be planted with all
 kinds ol tropical vegetation. II atmosphere
 were only transport2b.e like mineral waters and one could Sead corSignments of this Yuma
 winter air to the East the inspiration of its
 health-giying qualities would bring 25.CO0
 tourists every winter to the banks Of the Colo rado River.
 Tusla needs only to make known it's climatic attractions in the parts Of the East swept every
 year by blizzarllS and SnOwatorrns to attract a
 city fnll every winter. The fertility Of the val ley below will almost make itself known with
 out effort on the part of the people. But with a
 valley f,ill of intelligent and industrious rural population, producing fruits and vegetables, poultry, eggs, fresh milk and fragrant butter.
 Yuma should be one of the most delightful
 winter resorts in aIl America. There is every thing there to furnish tourists 0ith The most