Imperial Valley press., 1923-05-22
EXPERT SAYS WE
NEED MORE SUGAR
In |. Y. FRUIT
Only Right Fertilization,
Irrigation Can Do 1t,
Says Lee
BY L. G. LEE

Then cantaloupe grower rents old
run out alfalfa land Why? Be
cause it is land that is at its high
est state of fertility. You don I
find him renting cotton, corn or
barley land--he must have the very
best land because competition is
very keen and to be able to get by
he must raise good cantaloupcs.
Most of you know that we have
been raising a lot of poor lettuce.
This is due to the poor land. Most
people think lettuce will grow oil
any kind of land-that is a mis-
take.
Good Land Necessary
In the ease of cantaloupas the
best land when properly farmed will
give YOU these results-large canta-
loupes, uniform IS size, neavy net,
early and last but most important
lots Of sugar The sugar gives the
cantaloupe its flavor and lots of
sugar can oily be obtained from
good strong soil In this community
the quantity of sugar determines
the eating and keeping qualities.
7 have mentioned eaHtaloupes not
because YOU are cantaloupe growers,
but because cantaloupes represent
the largest industry in dollars in
Imperial Valley and an industry |
that you know everything is being !
done to make success. Cantaloupe- |
people make their mistakes too, but |
if the grape fruit and grape men |
viii take as many precautions as
the cantaloupe people do they will
make a success.
Discusses Grapes
The thing that makes good
grapes, grapes that will carry TO |
our eastern markets and arrive in |
good condition is the proper amount |
of sugar Do you know that last
year if the law had been enforced |
not car of grapes would have left !
the valley, because the law says |
they must test not less than17 per |
cent sugar. In the Fresno district, |
which produces the finest grapes to |
be found anywhere, malaga grapes |
as rule test 20 to % per cent SUI
gar at shipping time. Sugar determ
ines the quality Of the fruit.
Grapefruit Deficient
Many of our valley people have |
been led to believe that we raise |
the finest grapefruit in the United |
States. Our grapefruit is good, but |
it is not a finished product. 1t has A.,
a thick skin, is very irregular in |
shape, and also has a coarse tex
ture. 1t does have plenty of juice |
The thing that viii correct these |
faults is to add more sugar. This
vii make a better flavor, "A finer |
texture, thin skin and make the !
fruit more uniform in shape. These !
things are necessary to successful |
grapefruit growing.
Everyone knows that many
groves of grape fruit are being
planted inthe valley. Ten years
from now we viii be unable to sell |
all this fruit in California. We !
must 90 into other markets, and TO |
do this and make it pay we must !
have grape fruit that will compete |
with that from Florida and the is |
lands.
Now what are we going to do TO !
make our grapes and grape fruit i
the same high quality as that from !
Fresno and Florida? Grape vines !
and grapefruit trees grow deep |
roots when soil conditions are favor !
able and they are properly irrigat- |
ed. The soil of the valley, after you |
get down ten inches or more, does |
not contain enough humus or nitro :
gen and many other elements that /;
are necessary to making better
grape fruit and grapes.
First we must subsoil our ground, !
then plant legumes, use barnyard :