Introduction — Soil Conditions — Transportation Facilities ii 



undamaged do not stand up well under shipment. Rainy periods, even 

 during the month of July, are usually far enough apart so that most 

 of the merchantable melons can be safely loaded for market. The dan- 

 gers of unexpected rain during the summer months have deterred many 

 apricot and peach growers from attempting to dry any considerable 

 portion of their output. The condition of the dried fruit market, how- 

 ever, during the 19 17 season induced many growers to try drying their 

 fruit and in general the results were satisfactory. It is possible that the 

 dangers attending such a procedure have been magnified in the minds 

 of the growers and it is probable that if market conditions warrant 

 there will be an even greater quantity dried during succeeding seasons. 

 Soil Conditions There are in general about six types of soils 

 existing in relatively large areas throughout the agricultural district 

 in the Salt River Valley. The Maricopa Gravelly Loam lies near the 

 outskirts of the Project and occurs in largest quantity around Peoria 

 and along the Arizona Canal in the vicinity of Camelback Mountain. 

 Most of the citrus development in the Valley occurs on this type of 

 land. The Maricopa Sandy Loam constitutes the greater portion of 

 the soil on the south side surrounding Mesa and Gilbert. There is 

 also a considerable area of this soil on the north side adjoining the 

 Maricopa Gravelly Loam. A slightly heavier soil known as Glendale 

 Loess constitutes nearly one-third of the soil area on the north side 

 of the Salt River Project and lies in the center of the north side. The 

 Maricopa Loam, a still heavier loam soil, lies in irregular patches 

 north and west of Phoenix and south of Tempe. A relatively incon- 

 siderable area of clay loam and some heavy adobe soil which lies 

 immediately around Phoenix and just south of Tempe constitute the 

 principal other types of soil in the Valley. 



This variation in soil types has been reflected more or less in the 

 character of the crops produced on those soils and has resulted in some 

 crop specialization on soil types particularly fitted to certain crops. 

 For example, most of the commercial potato acreage lies in the lighter 

 loam soils west of Glendale. The same territory also produces most 

 of the bean crop of the Valley. Cotton, grain and alfalfa are largely 

 grown irrespective of soil types, while it appears that dates do well on 

 ■ soil which is too alkaline to produce other crops. There are certain 

 districts in the Valley having alkaHne soils, but the greater portion of 

 the Valley is free from this defect. 



Transportation Facilities . Present facilities for crop transpor- 

 tation are adequate, although the Salt River Valley is not reached by the 



