Imperial Valley press., 1908-03-14
IRRIGATION ENGINEER TAIT'S
 REPORT ON IMPERIAL VALLEY
Extracts From the Document Which Was Pigeon HOed By nCreduIouS Clerks of Agriculture De- partment and Dragged to Light by Senator Flint

1900 acres in vineyards in 1907. One vineyard of 100 acres and another of 320 acres have been planted.
 Asparagus has not yet been grown in any large quantity, but it has been demonstrated that it is one of the most profitable crops, and preparations are now being made to raise it ex- tensively for the market. Excellent Bermuda onions have been grown at Brawley. They will probably be grown on large scale in the future. High prices were received for those shipped during the winter of 1906-7.
 Winter tomatoes have also given ex- cellent results at Brawley and else where in the valley.
 Experiments.
 Potatoes have not been considered as being well adapted to the valley in the past but some good crops were grown in 1906. It is believed that potatoes can be successfully grown If planted at the proper time; but lit tie has been known in regard to this, and experiments are just beginning to show what can be done.
 Sugar beets were grown at Brawley, samples of which were tested at one of the beet-sugar factories in Califor- nia, showing 13 to IF per cent of sugar and "A per cent purity. The chemists report on these beets stated that they had been overirrigated, which low cred the sugar content. It is believed that with proper irrigation beets of a good quality can be grown.
 Nearly all the garden vegetables, in clud1ng sweet potatoes, peas, beans, cabbage, beets, lettuce; radishes, etc., thrive, and while not yet grown for shipment, are grown to supply the home market. Nearly all the vege- tables are planted in the fall and winter.
 The land holdings in the valley are large and the attention of the farmers during the first years of settlement has been given principally to field crops and live stock; gradually more atten- tion is being givne to vegetables and fruits, but there will yet be a great development in this direction.
 Fruits and Berries.
 Among the deciduous fruits, apri cots, figs, pears, plums, and peaches are we'll adapted to the country. Apri cots and figs especially make thrifty growth and the oldest trees are al ready producing fruit. Fruits for the home consumption will be produced, but it is too soon to know whether they will be produced for shipment Cherry trees do not grow satisfactorily and the valley is not regarded as an apple country. A few olive trees have been planted and the indications are that they will grow we'll.
 Among the berries, olackberries and dewberries grow we'll While straw berries and raspberrles are grown, it is questionable if they give results that would warrant their being grown for the market in large quantities.
 The valley was not at first regarded as being altogether suited to citrus fruits; occasionally on winter nights the temperature goeg to a few de grees below freezing, and it was feared that the fruiy would be dam aged by the frost; also that the spring winds would prohibit the citrus in- dustry. However, orange and lemon trees were planted nere and there for experimental purposes, and many of these are now old enough to bear fruit. The trees grow rapidly and the fruit has not been damaged, the re- suit being that there is now much interest in the experiments.
 A date farm is located near Heber The palms are two years old and some fruit has already been produced, but it has so far been ripened arti- ficially. The dates are of the Deglet Moor variety, which is not heavy producer, but is of the finest quality It is yet uncertain whether the hot season is long enough for this variety to be grown commercially.
 Almond trees grow we'll, but the English walnut is not a success. Many shade and ornamental trees are being planted. Those that grow we'll in- clude cottonwood pepper, locust, Ari- zona ash, umbrella, Russian mulberry, palm and all varieties of the eucalyp- tus except the blue gum.
 Live Stock Statistics.
 The principal live stock in the Inn perial Valley is hogs, there being about 100000 head. They are pas tured on growing barley and alfalfa and fed on barley grain for a few weeks before marketing. The raising of cattle for beef is not so extensive as hog raising, but it is rapidly grow ing In 1906 about 7500 head of cat tie were shipped from the valley. Cat tie are pastured principally on alfalfa, and two head per acre can be sup ported if the stand is good. The ship ments to market begin in December and 1acf 1InfiI Tuna Tbn Rref chnan