Imperial Valley press., 1923-01-10
Farmers Awake
to the Need of
Enriching S oil
Bv WILLIAM Won MUELLER


The idea that Imperial Valley
soils, by reason of the large quanti-
ties of silt deposited here in years
gone by, and which are carried on
to the lands with continued irriga-
ton, need no further fertilization, is
fast being exploded, and farmers
and growers are coming more and
more to n realization of the needs
of rebuilding the the soils, as crops
which have borne well in years past
show q stead declines in production.
The time was when almost any soil
in the valley would produce, say i'll
cotton, from one to one and q half
bales of lint cotton n year, and when
it was said of the valley that more
cotton was grown per acre than at
any other point in the United States.
Even today, some of the newer soils,
well cared for, are yielding bale
and more per acre, as particularly
instanced in the production on the
Shenk ranch, in Mexico, where
10000 acres will yield so nearly
10000 bales, that the average is
granted.
However, there are many acres
practically abandoned, and many
excuses are offered for this non-prO
ductivity.
Crop Rotation Helps
In the last two or three years,
some little experimentation has been
-, ,nfaftnn onI fhI 9
in almost all instances, has shown
much improvement in the yields, but
even crop rotation has not done all
that was desired, except, perhaps,
that it illustrated the extreme need
of rebuilding the soil by putting
back into it some of the elements
taken out in the growing of crops.
Green manure crops have proven
themselves as well worth the time
and expense of growing them, as
grounds rebuilt in this way have in
creased yields wonderfully. Alfalfa
ground, plowed in, for two or three
years afterwards gives evidence of
improved conditions in soil strength
and content of those elements which
make for the better production of
truck crops.
However, in all of these things, it
is demonstrated that the lack of
phosphoric acid is II vital factor,
and even the best of green manure
crops do not seem to deposit enough
of this element to put the soil into
its very highest possible state OF
| productivity.
In late years, mineral fertilizers
such as nitrate of soda, sulphate OF
ammonia, superphosphate and pot
ash have been developed, and expert
mentations made with these have re
suited in Il series of mixtures to fiji
| the requirements of almost any
known crop, and which, ON applica-
| tion, show such marked improve
ment in crop production, that, in the
east and south in particular, CONNER
cial fertilizers are accepted and used
! as proven necessity in the grow
ing of many products.
Barnyard Manures Beneficial
Barnyard manures, where avail
able in the amounts needed, are used
with perhaps the highest degree of
success in the cooler climates, and
when procurable, are used in prefer
ence to any other kind of soil build
er.
But in cotton raising in the south
and truck farming in the east, the
commercial fertilizers of today have
given and are giving such positively
! good results that the lack of barn
yard manures and failure to grow
green cover and manure crops is
not being felt to the extent that the
lack for some fertilizer is being felt
in the west.
In the Imperial Valley in particu-
lar, the ranchers are just beginning
to realize the absolute need of fer
tilizing the soil.
Thousands of acres have been put
into alfalfa, to be kept in that crop
for a matter of three years, when
it will be plowed under and the
ground used for lettuce, cantaloupes,