Imperial Valley press., 1927-11-25
ADAIR URGES
RICE CULTURE
FOR VALLEY
BY CLARK ADAIR
Chairman Soil Fertility Committee
Associated Chambers Of Commerce.

Associated SHdulueIS VI CoAiIASASS.
Thousands Of years the famous
Nile Valley has been annually flood
ed for 10 DAYS each wear beginning
August l.. One-haIt 81 the agri-
culture land in Japan is flooded
each year for over 100 days and Il
nice crop is grown.
Thus we now know the farm land
in China, Japan and Egypt is not
injured by flooding, and we know
Imperial Valley land will be great
ly benefited if it is also flooded.
The Colorado river water has con
siderable Of soluble matter in it.
Some of these soluble compounds are
poisonous, others are injurious and
haIm'l to plant life.
We have been for - years irri-
eating our land with this Colorado
river water. Now let us see what
has happened One hundred and
liable to farm and there is Il gen
cral complaint that production is not
what il used to he. The soluble cont
pounds in our irrigation water is de
posted in the soil each time We ir-
rigate and gradually reduces crop
growth.
Forty wears ago OSS0 the same
condition of affairs developed in
Egypt lSee Irrigation in Egypt by
WilcoX). In certain sections along
the Nile river the annual flooding
was prevented by -leveeS. summer
crops were grown COTTON and corn ).
The land failed to produce profit
able crop and most of the farmers
left this section and the villages
were deserted.
Mr.. WILCOX. who investigated CON
ditionS along the Nile river for the
British government, said that ar
rangcmcntS weuld have to be made
SO that these lands would be flooded
at least once in three to five years.
And that this would restore the pro-
ductivencss Of these lands.
Good Results Here
Rice growing in the Imperial Val
lev has given surprising goods re
suits fer three wears. The land be
ing flooded for over 100 days washes
the soluble compounds out of the
soil or SO deep in the soil that crnnS
grown after rice show that the
flooding and growing of rice is very
beneficial to our soil.
Cur heavy clay land was the first
to show the injurious affect Of the
soluble compounds by crop failures.
But these lands are the most desir-
able for rice growing and have
shown they are capable Of growing
rice crops worth over 500 per acre.
some of onr very poorest aikaldi
land was planted 10 rice this year.
The weld was Il surprise and of
good quality.
Three years of effort has cstab-
lishcd the rice growing industry on
paying base. The best time TO
plant and the proper method of
flooding to control the weeds has
been successfully worked out. II
is very simple: Sow the rice on
top Of the ground June -, irrigatc
and keep the land continually flood
ed. The rice will grow up through
the water. The weed down.
The information how to grow rice
is so very simple and easily under
stood that farmers will be more sue
cesSfui with r;ce than any other
grain crop.
The grgss receipts from rice crops
are to I times greater than other
grain crops. 1t is the easiest crop
to grow that there is. The most Of
the work and expense is in the
harvesting.
Our agriculture experts tel us
that the worry best method to in
crease production on our heavy clay
soil is to grow rice.
The landowners of the Imperial
Valley Will find it profitable to cx-
tend credit 10 tenant farmers to
have part of their clay land planted
TO rice next year. Fertilizers and
legume green manure crop pay in
with rice growing.
An honest confession il good for