The native tribes of California each had their own agriculture* system before the Spanish arrived, but with the exception of the Mojave, none had tried to control water. The Mojave tribes living near the Colorado river found an ingenius* way to use the river and grow crops. It was very similar to the Egyptians and the Nile; each year the Colorado would overflow at a certain time in spring. As soon as it receeded*, the Mojave would plant their crops in the super-moist and rich soil the river left behind. They would harvest the food before the river overflowed again and start all over. In this way, they managed to grow melon, corn, and squash in vast* amounts and trade them with other tribes.