The Arizona sentinel., 1909-10-21
RICHES OF SOIL WONDERFUL

But the object OF this story is 10 call atten-
tion once more, and for perhaps the thou
sandth time, to the riches of the soil along
the Colorado on both sides, incident to the
deposittdg of this mass of debris during all
she past ages. Going through tile 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 Brawley,
Calexico and other points west of the river
The fertility OF the black prairie soils of ILL
aois has aS.onished 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 are familnr 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.
Ii you ask farmer along this stretch OF
sountry il the soil is six feet, his eyes will
open with establishment al your ignorance.
He will tell you no one knows whether IL is
81 feet, 900 or 5000 feet deep. IL is practically
without bottom. It is SO thoroughly well
mixed with sand, disintegrated granite and
other rocks that it never breaks. 1t is as
easily worked a heap of. ashes, and re-
spends to cultivation in way that is mar
ychops.
CUT SEVEN CROPS YEARLY.
station in the heart of this big valley, which
Is some tBesty four miles long, and in spots
ten TO twelve miles wide, down Oh the lower
level. Tire results are wonderful. Last week
they were cutting a crop OF alfalfa Oh this ex-
al fAr ,af,r
months they viii cut succeeding crops The
only months when the crop Is not cut here are
December and January
Coston and tobacco grow with the greatest
Kuxurianee. and this rich alluvial soil viii be
noted in . very few years the ideal spot in
she whole country for dairying, hog raising,
she production of poultry and vegetables, which
one he=sitatcs to call early or late rs 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
kcnS and turkeys flourish there in the winter
slime beyond all experience anywhere else.
The rainfall is exceedingly light and comes
only three or four times in 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 Colora-
do River. With alfalfa and corn. the butter,
cheese, eggs, poultry and pork to be raised on a
twenty farm will amaze those who have
she experience in American agricultural affairs
The winter climate around Yuma is "a thing
so intoxcatingly 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 at1nos
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.