Arizona republican., 1899-03-17
FEBRUARY TRADE
Business in Southern California Larg- est Ever Known for That Month.

Los Angeles, March Robustness for
 the past month was the largest ever
 known in February. The uncertainty
 of crops affected trade conditions un-
 favorably at some points on the Pa | cific coast, but reports from the cOun l try in general show that the industrial
 and trade activity is still a marked
 feature of the business situation on
 the whole, and the volume of business gives no sign of decreasing. The best
 assurance of present prosperity and confidence in coming trade conditions
 is found in the very general advance
 in wages of cotton operators and iron
 and steel workers.
 In southern California, conditions are unchanged The drought still con- tinues and March, the month of hope, l is passing. Throughout a large part
 of this section hay and grain show the effects of dry weather, but most of it is not beyond redemption should
 March gives it's normal downpour. In any case southern California will have a better hay crop than last year, owing to the increase of the number of acres put to alfalfa in irrigated districts, and the fact that much grain has already matured sufficiently for the making of good stock feed if the possibility Of more rain fails.
 Beet planting has begun in spite of adverse conditions both in the Chino and OXnard districts. In the latter dis trict 5000 acres week are being seed ed. More rain has fallen in Ventura than in Los Angeles county and the best crop there is less Droblematical in case no more rain comes.
 In most of the citrus sections the water supply is sufficient to insure normal crop and ill the few where there is shortage strenuous efforts are being made to develop more
 About one-nalf the acreage of south | ern California's deciduous fruits is un- der irrigation, and It is believed mod | crate amount of marketable fruit can | be counted on from some of the un- irrigated sections The damage to | eastern fruit crops insuTes high prices | for what is produced
 Oranges have been going forward freely and bringing top notch prices. The crop of navels is pretty well out of the way. There are estimated remain ing to be shipped less than 4,OOO car loads, all varieties, as against 1000. the same time last year. This fact ac- counts in part for the stiff tone of the eastern markets
 Lemons are scarce and in good de mand. The coming lemon output is an but this is due to the cold snap, not the water supply. In some localities both blossoms and small fruit were seriously damaged.
 The raisin situation is unchanged. prices not quotably lower. but the market is dull. Shipments for the sea- son totaled 335O cars, ten tons each. 700 of which was carried over stock of '97.
 The demand for dried fruit and canned fruit is good. Stocks are well cleaned up and the market is widening. Holders will not let go except at full figures. Little doing in nuts Almond prospects are good
 City trade in retail lines continues fair. Wholesale business lags and country collections are of necessity slow. February exchanges brought to the Los Angeles clearing house showed a volume of business not suggestive of any stagnation in trade channels
 Failures for the month, thirteen. liabilities S153,00O, nominal assets s298,000, against twenty failures, Iia- bilities, $67,OOO, assets $45, 900 in Feb ruary. 1898.