Imperial Valley press., 1908-04-04

imperial Valley, says The san Diego Union. enormous profits are being realized by the farmers of that section in the raising of hogs. One man, a friend of Ralph Conklin, formerly of San Diego. but now of Calexico, cleared s1O,700 from 320 acres of land, the only help which he employed in ad- dition to himself being an aged Indian.
 Throughout the valley hog raising Is being taken up |xyensively on a plan hithertofore practically untried," Colonel Fletcher said "The land is planted to alfalfa and barley, this af- fording the sole means of sustenance for the porkers. The alfalfa is then fenced off into smaller tracts of about ten acres each and the hogs allowed to clean of the forage of each tract in turn. By the time the alfalfa has been entirely disposed of the animals have tattened to practically the killing point They are then turned loose in the entire acreage of barley, which has grown to height of two feet or Eo with the sheaves of grain still on. The hogs having so much before them are rather wasteful, eating here and there of the barley and allowing much of it to fall to the ground. The barley which falls to the ground untouched, is trodden into the loose soil by the hogs feet. where it lies until the hogs have been removed from the field The field is then flooded with water. and in the course of a few weeks is again solid stretch of rip ening grain as thick as though it had been planted by the hand of man. 1t is stated in the valley that the orig ihators of this plan have operated it successfully for several seasons past and believe that they have the ques- lion of cheap labor effectually solved.
 The melon industry Is also one that IS being taken up by many of the Inn perial Valley farmers this season. Be tween 10000 and 12.0OO acres of can taloupes have been set out and ten or twelve packing houses are being es- etabiished at different points in the valley to take care of the crop. A valuable adjunct of the melon industry this season which has been lacking in prevfo8S years is the establishment of several ice houses w.ncl are used to store ice until such time as 1t is needed in loading the fruit for shipment. It 4is expected that the crop this season will amount to fully 5000 carloads. IProbabiY about 1500.l
 Large numbers of Rocky Ford mel sIns are also being planted this season. This species Of melon ripens six to eight weeks earlier than it does in it's mative State. Colorado, and on this account a large number of farmers from that State are entering into the shusiness 6n the valley. They are leas- Shg lands near BrawleY, imperial and El Celttr0. paying rental of $8 to s2O an acre and planting them entirely to the Rocky Ford melon. At the same @me their lands in Colorado are set odt to the same melon, the cal c1latfon being that the crop in the valley can be marketed in time to per mit their entire attention being given to tho Colorado melons before the lat ter are ready for picking. Under this plan. a continuous season of from fhree to four months is given instead of a six Or eight weeks season.
 Every other branch of horticul- ture is also receiving its full attention in the valley this season. Near Inn perlal I saw over 100 acres of land planted to red and sugar gum trees. These trees. which had been set out about three years ago. have already attained a height of from 20 to 3O feet. although they were only a few inches high when planted Orange growing Is commencing to be one of the important industries and large number of orchards are being set out. 6tlll another product of the valley which Is proving profitable is aspara- gus. Asparagus is netting the grower