14 



deeper subsoils. For this purpose deep borings were taken at a num- 

 ber of places. The following table shows the results of these borings: 



of deep faring*. 

 [Per cent alkali in each foot of soil.] 



Inspection of this table shows that at every deep boring alkali was 

 found in more or less harmful quantity in the subsoil. Even in bor- 

 ing J4, where the soil was light throughout the top 8 feet and free 

 from harmful quantity of salt, as soon as the clay was reached, at 9 

 feet, a high percentage of alkali was found. The irrigation of such 

 soil would be perfectly safe as long as the level of standing water did 

 not rise sufficiently for the surface to be kept wet by capillarity. 

 Should this happen the rise of the alkali, even though buried 8 feet, 

 would be certain. 



Aside from the alkali, which renders part of the soil practically 

 worthless, some of the land is so rough from gullies or sand dunes 

 that the expense of leveling it is greater than warranted by its value. 

 In the 108,000 acres surveyed, 29,8-AO, or 27.7 per cent, is sand dunes 

 and rough land. Of the total area level enough to permit profitable 

 cultivation, 17 per cent contains less than 0.2 per cent of alkali and 32 

 per cent contains from 0.2 per cent to QA per cent. The remainder of 

 the land, or 51 per cent, contains too much alkali to be safe except for 

 resistant crops. 



CONDITIONS OF AGRICULTURE AND POSSIBILITIES OF 

 IMPROVEMENT. 



Perhaps more than any other part of arid America this lower desert 

 portion of the Colorado River delta must depend upon agriculture 

 and agriculture alone for its support. The nearest mining territory 

 in an) r direction is miles away. The climate is not such that tourists or 

 pleasure seekers will help maintain the country, as is the case in many 

 other parts of the Southwest. Every dollar gotten from the country 



