Imperial Valley press and the Imperial press., 1906-03-24
IMRERlAL VALLEY
 CATECHISM
Short Answers to the Questions Most Commonly Asked Concerning
 Our Country

What IS the nature Of the soll!
 It is all an alluvial deposit and varies in texture from heavy clay, to a light sandy loam.
 What is the quality of the soil?
 The very best. It is as productive and fertile soil as is to be found any where.
 What is your average rainfall?
 The average is unknown, but cannot exceed few inches. Some years there is no rain falls at all, while during 1904 the fall was nearly II inches.
 How do you raise crops, then?
 By irrigation.
 From what source do you obtain your water supply?
 From the Colorado river.
 Have you good water right?
 The best in the world. We have the first right of diversion both in the Unit ed States and in Mexico.
 How extensive is your canal system? The present canal system will irrigate about 300,000 acres, when complete. At present there are more than 900 miles of ditches Tn operation and 150,- 0e0 acres in cultivation.
 Is your water supply sufficient? / Undoubtedly. The Colorado river is navigable for steamboats at all stages, and the Imperial Canal System has right to take all of it they want.  Is your irrigation system in competent and responsible hands?
 Yes. The distribution of the water is in the hands of the farmers themselves, and the company diverting the water from the river and bringing it to the Valley is controlled by the Southern Pacific Railroad.
 How is title to the lands secured? By entry, under the United States land laws, in the first place, though patents have been issued on quite an amount of it already.
 Is the title good?
 Just as good as Uncle Sam can make s-t lssln. zS
 HOC"s title to the water for irrigation secured?
 By buying stock in the water company and using the water on your land. What is land with water-right selling for?
 From about $2000 per acre for raw land in out of the way locations, to $5000 and upward per acre for we'll inn proved ranches close in to town and railroad.
 What crops do you raise?
 Alfalfa to great perfection, all the grains and vegetables, cantaloupes, mel ons, grapes, berries, fruits, and insshort, everything that will thrive in a semi tropical climate.
 Does cantaloupes pay?
 Yes. The profits ran as high.-as $lO0 per acre last year at Brawley.
 How long does it take to- raise and market them?
 About five months in all.
 Can you grow oranges and lemons? Undoubtedly. The climate is favora- ble, and all the citrus trees that.have been set out in the Valley are growing nicely.
 How are your seasons?
 We have very little winter; frost sell dom comes before Christmas, nor forms later than February 18th.
 How are the summers, are they not long and hot?
 The temperature registers high for about 50 days during June and July but the air is so dry that the heat is not op- pressive at all. During the very hottest weather men and teams work out in the sun without discomfort. Combined haryesters, pulled by 36 horses, six abreast have run all day when the mer- cury reached l26 degrees in.the shade, and hay baling was carried on without interruption the same day.
 What kinds of fruit can you grow? All the stone fruits, such as apricots, peaches, plums and nectarines; also ol- ives and citrus fruits. Dates are being experimented with, and the results so far are most encouraging, experts de-