The Arizona sentinel., 1909-01-07

the Colorado on both sides, incident to the depositidg of this mass of debris during all the past ages. Going through the country on the Arizona side of the river, for several miles below Yuma, one encounters the same type of country and soil that is found in the Imperial Valley country around Braw'ey, Calexico and other points west of the rlVer The fertility of the black prairie soils of llll- nois has astonished people engaged in agrl- culture for nearly one hundred years. The fertility of the valleys of the Nile has been matter of history for at least 5000 years. Those who are familinr with Illinois prairie soil, and those who know what the valley of the Nile is for agriculture. know that this lower Colorado River region surpasses both of them.
 If you ask 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 It IS 50 feet, 600 or Geo0 feel deep. It is practically without bottom. It is so thoroughly well mixed with sand, disintegrated granite and other rocks that it never breaks. It is as easily worked as a heap of ashes, and re- spends to cultivation in a way that is mar yelous.
 CUT SEVEN CROPS YEARLY.
 Arizona has established an experiment station in the heart of this big valley, which is some twenty-four miles long, and in spots ten to 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 luxuriance, and this rich alluvial 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 vegetables which one hesitates to call early or late, as they will be perennial. New potatoes will be produced in the middle of January, tomatoes will be ripe by the first of March. ripe grapes will be gathered in the early days of May, and april cots by the middle of the same month. Chic kens and turkeys flourish there in the winter time beyond all experience anywhere else.
 The rainfall is exceedingly light and comes only three or four times in a whole winter With an abundance of green alfalfa and veget- able the dry and not overheated climate prevailing in the winter months, chickens are free from the disease that make their raising difficult elsewhere There is no spot in South ern Illinois or Missouri so adapted to the pro- duction of corn as this valley along the Cobra do River. With alfalfa and corn, the butter, cheese eggs, poultry and pork to be raised on a twenty-acre farm will amaze those who have the experience in American agricultural affairs The winter climate around Yuma is thing so intoxicatingly salubriouS That no words can describe it. Those deserts of America, as we have regarded them heretofore, seem to defy the ills that human nature elsewhere is so prone to contract and suffer from. The atmos phere is as dry as punk, the skies cloudlessly 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 the mesa just on the outskirts of Yuma. Here
 ults even more marvellous than in the valley arc produced. Down on the lower levels there are little nips of frosty mornings occasionally during December and January, but on the mesa the breath of frost never touches the most del icate vegetation. Oranges grown at the Feder- al experiment station are unsurpassed in their [ delicious quality.
 Yuma is busy, up-to-date town. The more modern improvements consist of several blocks Of attractive brick buildings. a three-story post l office building, also of brick, and many other | nice structures. Among some of the greater ! improvements which are being made, are a S35 900 school building, S75.CO0 ice plant, a fine clubhouse for the railroad employees, a larger passenger depot, and the probability of a new court house to cost S75, 900. There is con- i siderable business done there, but the people have not begun to awaken to the vast possibili ties of the place. They should at once erect an up-to-date tourist hotel It should have ample grounds around it and be planted with all kinds of tropical vegetation. If atmosphere were only transportaDle like mineral waters and one could send consignments of this Yuma winter air to the East, the inspiration of it> health-giving qualities would bring 25.O0t tourists every winter to the banks of the Colo rado River
 Yuma needs only to make known its climatic attractions in the parts of the East swept every year by blizzards and snowstorms to attract ; city full every winter. The fertility of the val lev below will almost make itSelt known with out effort on the part of the people. But with ; valley full Of intelligent and industrious rura population, producing fruits and vegetables poultry. eggs fresh milk and fragrant butter
 Yuma should be one of the most deightfu
 winter resorts ill all America. There is every
 thing there 10 furnish tourists with the mos