The Parker post., 1912-06-15

rigation. 1t is a safe assertion that
anything that will grow at Imperial
Or Blythe will grow on the Parker
lands
Besides the crops above mentioned
cabbage, caullflOWer, asparagus, on
ions, potatoes, Irish and sweet, de-
ciduOus fruits, and berries of all
kinds do we'll and will allow the
settler large variety to choose
from.
Where forage plants thrive, the cat
tie and hay business is naturally a
profitable one, and all kinds of polll-
try necessarily do we'll where grain
abounds. The raising of turkeys is
an unusually profitable business, and
OStricheS also thrive on the alfalfa
fields of Arizona, the feathers yield
ing substantial returns to the grow
or.
Dairy and poultry products will al
ways command good prices in the
local markets of Arizona where the
mining population does not produce
amy of its own food 1T is safe to
say t at no where could better
opportunity be found for diversified
farming than on this land.
Climate.
The climate lis warm in summer.
but the air is dry, and the heat lis
not oppressive as in a moist climate
The temperature ranges from Is de-
grees to 115 degrees Fahrenheit with
very few days Or nights i'm which
the mercury reaches the former, but
quite number of days in which the
ture.
The rainfall is light, not to exceed
AN average of three inches per an
mum and months pass without a cloud
in the sky. For at least eight months
in the year the climate lis as nearly
perfect as in any part of the United
States, and during the other four
months of the year the heat during
the day may be disagreeable, but the
nights are comfortable, and one can
sleep in the open air all the year
round. 1t must be remembered, how
ever, that lit lis the heat that makes
possible the great number and var
iCty of crops.
Water Supply.
The prin cipIe source of water salp-
ply for this land is the Colorado riv-
er. This river has its sources high
up in the Rocky mountains, and has
a drainage area of about $50 900
square miles above Parker. 1t pass
es through the GRAND and other cam
yonS where lit erodess dnilholEs of
tens of clays and soft rock annually,
and consequently its waters at all
times carry great quantities of sand
and silt. This material is DEPOSITED
all the way from the lower end of
the Grand canyon to the Gulf of Cal
ifOrnia. The heavier and cOurSer ma
terials are deposited i'm the upper re-
gions, while the lighter ones are
carried further along, and form such
lands as those under this project, and
at Blythe and Imperial.
The lighter silts of the Colorado
river and it's tributaries are undoubt-
edly of great value as Fertilizer. Pro
fessor Forbes of the University at
Tucson, Arizona, estimates that the
nitrogen alone in an acre-foOt of Gila
river water lis worth $500. The
fertility of the silt of the Mile is
prOverbial; and there lis abundant evi.
dence from farmers at Blythe, and
elsewhere on the Colorado, that the
lighter silts are of great value ito
the land as fertilizers
The annIIel floods in the Colorado
are caused by the melting snow i'm
the Rocky mountains and usually COM
mence in May or June, depending up
ON the season dun Colorado. and last
for two or three months, depending
upon the amount of SNOW which fell
in the mountains in the previous win
ter
Fortunately the period of highest
water corresponds with the period
when the maximum quantity of wa
ter is required for irrigation. AS the
floods in the Colorado sometimes
reach as much as 1000 second feet,
and no flood goes much under $4,000
second feet there is little question
about the waiter supply during three
of the summer months.
The low water flow goes down
occasionally to $500 second feet,
but this extremely low water only
lasts a few days, and seldom Oc-
ours except i'm the winter months
when irrigation is at a minimum, or
not necessary. If at any time it be-
came necessary ito carry trees or
CIOpS OV0I d S0dSOL
of drought, an ample supply of wa
ter could be pumped from shallow
wells for this purpose. Water cam
be found at from 6 to 20 feet under
this land, so that there is no trouble
about securing an adequate supply of
water for supplement irrigation and
domestic purposes.
The Diversion Dam.
The dam required for this pro
ject is what is called a diversion dam
as it's main purpose is to divert the
water from the river into the ca
nal. To do this it must evidently be
at least as high as the depth of the
water needed i'm the CANAL and on ac-
count of the silt and for other rea-
sons, 1T is advisable to make the
dam little higher than This.
Such dams as planned for the Par
ker project have been built and |
operated ON the great rivers of India, |
and the knowledge gathered in the |