KEPOET OF THE SECKETAEY OF AGRICULTURE. LI 



practiced, the most extensive being- tlie valley of the Santa Clara 

 River. Over a large part of the area, however, crops are grown with- 

 out irrigation, the principal crops being lima beans, sugar beets, and 

 barley. 



The soils of the upper part of the Santa Clara Valley are generally 

 well drained and free from alkali. Extensive areas of the delta lands, 

 including some of the most fertile soils of the county, are deficient in 

 drainage, and the alkali problem is becoming more and more serious. 

 As a result of the survey, and from experiments that have been made 

 at the suggestion of the Bureau, it is evident that the alkali problem 

 can be economically and efficiently controlled. Thirteen t3"pes of soils 

 were recognized in this area and their relation to crops reported upon. 



From the results attained in the irrigation of the area below Yuma, 

 and from the exceedingly arid climate, it was believed that the Colo- 

 rado Desert afforded exceptional facilities for the introduction of cer- 

 tain tropical plants, as well as for Egyptian cotton and other products 

 successfully grown in Egypt and on the Algerian Desert. In further- 

 ance of this idea, a company was organized under the laws of Mexico 

 to construct a canal through Mexican territorj- and deliver water from 

 the Colorado River to a point near Calexico, on the border line between 

 this country and Mexico, to a company chartered under the laws of 

 the United States to distribute the water to settlers in the Colorado 

 Desert. The land was taken up under the homestead and desert-land 

 laws and water rights purchased from this company for the irrigation 

 of the lands. It was realized that it was very desirable, as this enter- 

 prise was starting, to make a soil survey in order to classif}^ the 

 soils and determine their alkali content and their relation to crops. 

 Accordingly, Messrs. Means and Holmes were assigned to this work, 

 and an area of 169 square miles was surveyed around Calexico and 

 Imperial. 



This country lies at or somewhat below sea level, the Salton Sink, 

 the lowest portion of the desert, being about 270 feet below sea level. 

 Five distinct types of soil were recognized in this area, ranging from 

 a loose, incoherent dunesand to a very impervious clay, and including 

 a sand, a sandy loam, and a loam. The area is everywhere underlain 

 with a stiff, impervious clay containing alkali. The Imperial clay is 

 difficult to cultivate, and water penetrates it very sIowl3^ Large 

 areas of alkali lands were encountered, and it is estimated that about 

 54: per cent of the area has more than 0.4 per cent alkali as an average 

 for 6 feet in depth. There are serious problems, therefore, to be 

 encountered in the successful development of agriculture in the area. 

 It is believed that about 50 per cent of the area can at present be cul- 

 tivated in nearly all crops adapted to the locality, while a considerable 

 portion of the remamder may be reclaimed by drainage, or can be 

 used for alkali- resistant crops. 



