o 
raising and dairying. Nevertheless, the growing of certain fruits for 
the early markets of Chicago and the East should not be overlooked, 
particularly in the line of the production of cantaloupes, watermelons, 
certain classes of grapes (particularly the Thompson seedless), figs, 
and dates. 
Alfalfa, barley, the sorghums, stock, dairy products, honey, sugar- 
beets, the fruits above mentioned, and possibly cotton and some of the 
cereals are likely to be the staple products of the delta. Sugar cane, 
oats, rice, corn, hemp, flax, and most of the fruits are not likely to suc¬ 
ceed. The Sisal hemp plant should be tried; it is more likely to suc¬ 
ceed on the mesa lands than on the alluvial plain. 
METHOD OF TREATMENT. 
Fall-sowing should be practised wherever possible, except in the 
case of crops susceptible to low temperatures, such as corn and teosinte. 
Experience has already shown that barley and wheat thrive admirably 
when sown by the middle of September. Late sowing will, in the 
case of such crops, be likely to result in stunted growth, and possibly 
in entire lack of development. By early sowing it will also be possible 
to secure an early market in many cases. 
BARLEY. 
When sown by the middle of September, barley near Calexico has 
made a growth of three and one-half to four feet and headed out by 
the last of March; it stools out remarkably, producing from seventy to 
ninety stems from a single root-stock. Attention might be given to 
some of the fine Bavarian brewing barleys recently introduced by the 
U. S. Department of Agriculture, for which there may be a good 
demand in the principal brewing centers, just as there is for Oregon 
barley, if they can be grown satisfactorily in this region. 
ALFALFA. 
In preparing the ground for alfalfa it is very important not to 
flood the land after sowing, until the plants have covered the ground 
well, otherwise a hard crust is formed through which it is almost 
impossible for the seedlings to break. The land should be well irrigated 
before sowing, preferably twice; then plowed as soon as the surface is 
sufficiently dry, and harrowed to a fine tilth, in which the seed should 
be sown and left to take care of itself till well up. There will be 
enough moisture retained in the soil to provide a good stand in this 
way, without danger of caking the surface or scalding the seedlings, 
or causing a condensation of salts. Alfalfa will do best in the lighter, 
loamy soils. It is hard to start alfalfa in soils of .2 to .4 % of salts; 
it does best in soils with not more than from 0 to .2 %. 
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