BUKEAU OF SOILS. 163 



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 types 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 EgyiDtian 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 territory 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 classify 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 dune sand to a very impervious clay, and includ- 

 ing a sand, a sandy loam, and a loam. The area is everywhere under- 

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

 clay is difficult to cultivate, and water jjenetrates it very slowly. 

 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 i^er cent of the area can at present 

 ))e cultivated in nearly all crops adapted to the locality, while a con- 

 siderable iDortion of the remainder may be reclaimed by drainage, or 

 can be used for alkali-resistant crops. 



The importance and necessity of having this knowledge of the soil 

 conditions has been recognized, and very urgent requests have been 

 received for an extension of the soil surve}' work to embrace practi- 

 cally all of the lands in the Colorado Desert which can be irrigated, as 

 a basis for the intelligent cultivation of this area, and to insure, as far 

 as ijossible, the successful settlement of the country. Recognizing the 

 importance of this work, it is proj)Osed to combine a number of our 

 field parties and place them in the area during the coming fall and 

 winter to make a soil survey of about 1,500 square miles of the Col- 

 orado Desert, so that settlers may know the actual character of the 

 soils which they purchase, and that industries can be established on 

 the soils best adapted to them. 



In addition to this work, it is proposed to extend the soil survey 

 to the Santa Clara Valley in the interest of sugar-beet, grain, and 

 stock production, and to take up the San Bernardino Valley in south- 



