Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-06-16

American has rarely tasted fresh date
as IL ripens on the tree. and knows little
or the attractions Of that fruit. IN Yuma
the crop is still not sufficient to supply
the local demands. and the fruit sells AZ -
cents a pound soon as II may be mar
vested With the aid of refrigerator cars
there Is a practically unlimited market
for these dates and they promise most
profitable returns to their growers on a
large scale.
Long lint Egyptian cotton Is another
crop that grows to perfection in this dis
trict, and this staple. because OF tis yield
of a particularly heavy crop ana lis
superiority over American cotton. prom
Uses large profits The United States an
nually imports Si6,oooo1D worth OF this
cotton, and II is estimated that lol.fo
acres of such land that OF the Yuma
project would supply the nation.
The high lands OF the mesa To when
water must be pumped are particularly
adapted to the growth OF oranges ana
lemons. Upon the lowlands the frosts
are rather severe for these citrous fruits.
but the mesa knows not these frosts ana
there they grow to perfection This -
claimed as the most ideal orange ana
lemon land that is to be found within the
bounds of the United States. Similar
lands in southern California are valued az
5000 an acre, II Is easy to get an
idea of the possibilities Of this tract
All truck crops raised at Yuma arc
weeks ahead of those grown al any other
point in the United States. That advan-
tage gives them the first call upon all
the markets of the nation. and this adj
vantage is of inestimable value in the
cultivation Of all truck crops Cante-
loupes NAV be grown here between the
rows Of developing orchards and shipped
east far in advance of Rocky Ford ana
a
lar breakfast melon. Practically all the
fruits and berries grow to perfection ana
the growing season is twelve months long
and a possibility of rotating crops Is
without end.
The rainfall at Yuma is but two and a
half inches during the twelve months,
crops thereby suffering little weather
damage. There is the balm or eternai
sunshine at Yuma with the touch of sum-
mer heat that feathers the skin ana
shrivels the microbe TIL ii ceases TO exist:
Withal il is a land of fascination ana
romance and tradition Here came Ile
Spanish padres at about the same time
the French Jesuits were carrying the
gospel to the Indians along the st Law
renee and long before any Enghsh settle
ment was made on the Atlantic seaboard.
Across the Colorado at this point poured
a stream of prospectors in the days or
40 when the gold rush to California was
on From Sherman, Tex, to San Diego
CAL was maintained a seTni-weekly stage
service in those early days that crossed
the river at Yuma. In all 60.oO0 hardy
adventures went gold hunting by this
route Later a United States military
post was established at Yuma. for the
Indians thereabout came to clash with
the adventures who prowled these
deserts in search of gold. Eventually. IN
the early eighties, the Southern Pacific
pushed it's nose this far into the desert.
and since that time Yuma has been an
interesting stop for transcontinental
trains and the central trading point for
region that yields large quantities OF the
yellow metal. This year this obscure
nook is finally put on the map as a re-
gion of great agricultural Importance, ana
all because Uncle Sam has harnessed the
Colorado and spread its muddy flood upon
the barren deserts.
Copyright, 1912. by W. A. Du Puy)