Imperial press and farmer., 1902-03-08
4 Voice From Arizona.

 a country where alkali was a great scare in the early settlement of that valley until people gradually learned that they were more scared than hurt The writer evidently speaks from ex- perience and from a personal knowl- edge of the facts. The Republican says:
 Thomas H. Means and J. Garnett Holmes of the bureau of soils of the agricultural department spent about forty days between the middle of Oc- tober and the middle of December of last year examining soils and conditions of possible agricultural development in the Imperial country in Southern Cal ifornia. Their findings have been pub lished by the department and they are anything but pleasing to the promoters of the Imperial Land Company and the kindred organizations interested in that section. The Southern California pa pers have taken up the subject and are making some severe comments on the findings of the experts.
 The most effective criticism to be made and one that is borne out by their own statements is that their work was entirely too nasty for results to be given as conclusive in publication of the recognized standing of circular issued by the bureau of soils In sub stance they report having examined l69 square miles of the Imperial land, find ing that 51 per cent. of the area carries too much alkali to permit of hope for it's redemption and that 49 per cent. of it is so heavily impregnated with al kali salts that only annual and alkali- resistant crops may be safely planted. Only in particularly favored spots do they grant the successful cultivation of alfalfa and in substance about the only encouragement they can offer is for the growing of sorghum and sugar beets.
 Hav.ng discovered the alkali percent ages in the soil they proceed to set forth their theory why adverse condi- tions will grow constantly worse in stead of better. a theory that is utterly refuted so far as a demonstration Of the contrary can be made in the pres ent early stage of experiment. And this testimony, even though limited, has been overlooked. Their theory IS that the Imperial country, being for the most part below sea level, there will be no such thing as drainage that with the application of water will tend to the removal of alkali, but that on the contrary when the waters of the Colorado diverted through the Imperial canals, have thorou9hly soaked the soil. the alkali will rise to the surface making conditions vastly worse than now.
 In reply to this it can be said that the only natural vegetation of the country is along the banks of New River and other channels that annually receive a soaking of flood waters and where this occurs the vegetation IS luxuriant, wild hemp weeds and other plants making a ,growth unequaled Tn any country. Further, an examination of the soils in such places discloses no taint of alkali, thus proving that where the water has been applied the alkali is removed and the drainage IS in operation in accordance with the principles set forth by the experts themselves as necessary for the re- clamation of the land.
 Extensive borings were made to as certain the character of the sub-solls, though not as extensive as required TOT a thor0uoh report on so vast an area It is noted that but four of these DOT inps were deep enough to really deter mine the character of the lower strata as to whether it is or is not of nature calculated to afford the drainage re- quired. thus carrying the alkall doWh instead of up by capillary process me
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