The Imperial press., 1904-11-05

crucial tV~t ui tllC uaiT tnitntt lW lhf tegiuu uhvtC tlv experimental plania' tiou has bCcu established aud n simi. lar placcs should the voming winter, then, ts one oi usual severity. aud h tlic l~lms hich atc now Ilanird sue rt-tSI iu witlisiandiug thr low temI~ra' turcs, it is reasonable to suplSSc that they will iv able tn Ia~s thc sucVc~liug winters, l,cvau.r it i- a will.knoWn fact that date palms are unable to with. stand as much c,ld tue hrst winter after they are plauir,i than after they have lycvmc larger and Letter estab- iishcyi
 would therefore caution all rcrsous V ho are thinking of engaging in date culture tn consider well the paints which have mentioned before d,Cid- ing on going ahead lt wuuld bc far h-.tfcr ln await the results ui the coming winter tan to rush iu bliudly and bc disappointed in the iuturr.
 Another reason why conservative action is advisable Is the Hct that we do not know a> vet what varieties will be best suited to our conditions. lt is easy to assnme that certain varieties will be successful in our state on the score that they succeed iu countries having similar soil aud climatic con ,hllons. But this assumption is not safe The records ot both summer and winter temperatures which We have of different sections ui tue Salton Basin arr incagre and at best not wholly re- liable. Then again, there may be some unforeseen conditions which can only be determined by actual expcrl- ence. The date palm may nquire special treatment under OnT conditions and therefore IL may prove that the practices which prevail m other conn- tries may not be suited to ours. It will be th. purpose of this experimental plantation 10 detctmin- these points. An attempt will be made to represent all known varieties Ut dates m the world in the collections which will eventually be planted st Mecca but II will require several years beforc II IS actually known which varieties will be best suite,l Ia the prevailing conditions. And hence it Is that intending planters should await with patience the results oi the government experiment.
 The importation of offshoots from the Sahara and other countries k expensive. IL l. expensive to transport the uff-hOnts to our country. Then toO, certain percentage of loss must b-. expected, owing to the length of time the off- shoots must be on the way. I' will be seen, therefore, that an experimental planting Is expensive, and while the government and state can afford tn. risk of planting different varieties m an experimental way very few individuals can afford 10 run such a risk.
 In closing, l should say that this ar ticle is written wholly with the intcn- ton oi arresting the "booming of date culture IL is in no way intended to stop the development of the industry along rational lines. We advise con seryaiiye and careful consideration on the part of intending planters and degree of patience Tn awaiting the gov ernment experiment as the foundation for future success iu dats: culture.
 The results of the experimental plan taiion at Mecca will be available t0 any one who is interested and 1t is hoped that before anyone engages m the indus try he will take the pTecaution tO c0n- suit with the government or state authorities m charge. Any inquiries addressed tO myself or tO Walter T. Swingle, L. <. Department of Agricul' ture, Washington, D. C., will receive prompt aud careful attention.
 A. Y. STUBENRACCH, In charge of Government Date Garden
 al Mecca. Cal.