Imperial Valley press., 1923-04-28
GREAT NEED FOR
LECUMINOUS CROPS
AGAIN EMPHASIZED
Associated Chambers of
Commerce Hear
Pungent Talks
TELL OF N LIE
Osborne Tells :. How
Water Measured by
Songs
TELLS OF NILE


Success in Imperial Valley, de-
pends upon the fertility of the soil
being retained This statement.
echoed by several speakers, formed
the keynote Of the soil fertility
meeting Of the Associated Cham
bers Of Commsrce at the Oregon ho-
tel last night, and those who were
fortunate enough to be present, will
be a long time forgetting the
mighty truths that were presented
to them there, by men who have
! made study of soil conditions
right here in Imperial Valley.
With John w. Scott of this city,
| chairman of the executive commit
tee of the soil fertility committee,
| in charge of this parts of the even
ing's program. r. W. Hoover of
Holtville, was called upon to tell
of the work of the committee. Mr..
| Hoover told the missionary work
that has been done in the past few
months, educating the valley to the
necessity of planting leguminous
crops.
Osborn Traces Irrigation
p. f. Osborn, of Imperial, gave s:
most interesting aecogat OF soil
tfertility in ancient times, and
his audience followed him with in
terest rs he traced the work OF soil
fertility from days Of the ancient
Egyptians, 5000 years before Christ,
down through the years, including
| the methods used in theSNile coun-
| try, in China, India and other parts
of the Orient. Having visited the
countries, Mr.. Osburn was able to
[ give first hand descriptions. He told
| of visiting the valley between the
Euphrates and Tigris rivers, said to
have been the scene of the Garden
of Eden.
Even today, the traces of old ir.
rigation systems may be seen, but
the country is desolate waste, due
to the, fact that the inhabitants did
not keep up the FERTILITY of the Soil.
He described the crude methods OF
irrigation pr:cticed in stating that
the raneher orders his water by
verses and explained that the water
is bailed out of deep wells, beside
which is Il platform, and on the
latter man stands singing while
the water is carried out. So many
verses of the song means so much
water, and payments are made az
cOrdingly.
Following Mr.. Osborn, Tom Eli
oft, the mysterious Strawberry
Tom,' manager Of the American
Railway Express, came right down
to modern times, to tell whnt soil
fertility has accomplished in just
one instance. Last December, .
Japanese rancher four miles south
of FL Centre, planted one and one
quarter acres of what had formerly
been IA chicken run to strawberries.
His next door neighbor, also a Jap
anese, had previously planted two
! and one-half acres on ordinary
ground.
Berries in A Months
Within thres and one-haH months
from the time of planting, tho
rancher was shipping strawberries,
receiving topnotch price on each
crate Of the large size and high
quality of his berries. His neighbor
stated that his plants were inst tho
same as the other mans that he
gave his better care, yet he is not
making any shipments.
Mr.. Elliott had box of the cham
pion Strawberries, and all acclaim
ed them the finest berries that have
been seen here. He explained that
fertility of the soil was responsible
for the difference in the two tracts.
Neal Hickcox, valley representa-
tive of commercial fertilizer com
pany, gave an interesting talk on
the effect the soil fertility cam
paign has had on his business, and
stated his company was glad 10 note
the recent action of the supervisors
in passing an ordinance which prae.
tieally restricts the shipment OF
manure fertilizer from the county.
Praises Meloland Station
George Wright, prominent Melo.
land raneher, held the attention OF
everyone present, while he reviewed
the necessity for soil fertilization.
He praised the present work being
done al the Experimental Station,
where extensive experiments in lef
| guminous crops are being carried
on which viii ultimately be Of In
estimable value 20 the valley.
Clark Adair OF Secley told Of the
necessity for rotating not only of
dinary ehrops, but the legnmlnons
crops planted TO restore fertility.
He described the presence Of poison
ous toxins in the soil caused by
planting the same crops repeatedly.