145 Eleventh Annual Report. 



specialists, and by the constantly increasing influence exerted 

 through their publications. 



Moreover, the present location of the offices has proved con- 

 veniently accessible to the three great agricultural districts of the 

 Territory, — Salt River valley, Yuma, and the upper Gila — and has 

 made it possible for the Station staff to divide their field observa- 

 tions equitably between these three diverse, yet in each case im- 

 portant districts. 



The Experiment Station farm at Phoenix has been contin- 

 ued and strengthened for the reason mentioned above; namely, 

 that this location, in a general way, is probably the best one in 

 the Territory for the purpose. Salt River valley is intermediate 

 in elevation, in precipitation, and in mean yearly temperature be^ 

 tween the two other important farming districts of Arizona, 

 Yuma and the upper Gila, and for this reason the agricultural 

 and horticultural results obtained there are capable of the most 

 general application in the Territory at large. This fact makes it 

 possible, for instance, to study oranges, dates, and eucalypti for 

 the benefit of the Yuma and Salt River valley districts on the 

 same ground where peaches and sugar beets may be investigated 

 to the advantage of the upper Gila and other cooler localities. 



The date palm orchard, again, is located in a suitable situ- 

 ation — the alkaline district south of Tempe. According to Old 

 World experience as well as observations in Arizona, this valuable 

 palm will grow in exceedingly alkaline ground, and the demon- 

 stration of this fact by the Station on a commercial scale will create 

 value for tens of thousands of acres of lands in the Southwest. 



Finally, on this same principle, the Station has from time 

 to time during the year sent its workers into various localities 

 where needed and where the best chances for good results were to 

 be found. In cooperation with the Division of Soils, U. S. D. A., 

 a complete and very valuable soil and alkali survey of Salt River 

 valley and the- Buckeye country has been completed which will 

 for the first time give definite information concerning the nature 

 and extent of the various types of soil and the amount, kind, and 

 distribution of alkaline salts in this region. At the invitation of 

 the Station, also, Professor T. D. A. Cockerell spent November, 

 1899, in the same district looking up noxious insects in order to 



