Imperial Valley press and the Imperial press., 1906-11-17


 winter after planting, yet this has not heretofore been done and many young trees may be seen with fine showing offruit. By reason oftheir special adapt ability the desire to mention few things cannot be resisted these include grapes, figs and dates, asparagus and canta- loupes. The first and last of these men. toned enables the gr"wer to obtain prices SO fabulous the writer is unwill- ing to hazard his reputation for veracity by giving them. Figs can be produced more cheaply bushel for bushel than corn in the western states. Dates are yet in the experimental stage, yet trees but three years from planting after hav- ing been out of the aground for six months and travelled half round the world to reach here are fruiting this season, this being the famous Deglet Noir variety from which the agricultural department at Washington is expecting astonishing results. Cotton has been raised in a small way but sufficient to demonstrate that it can be produced at profit of from fifty to seventy-fve dollars per acre.
 Mir. Roth, who for many years has been producer of cantaloupes at Rocky Ford, Colorado, does not hesitate to give the Imperial Valley the preference over Rocky Ford and says the canta- lOu nae ,,roJrcaJ boro o ro su.aatar a nd Of finer flavor, while here there is com plete immunity from frost, hail and rust and other great advantages, such as having the whole winter for preparation and a much longer season for growth to say nothing of cheaper lands and reli- able supply of water. Although most of the land is new and poorly adapted to the purpose some of the growers se- cured as high as from $l00.00 to $2OO.OO per acre net for their crop. Last year witnessed the first efforts in the Valley at growing cantaloupes mostly of prime quality. Three hundred cars were pro. duced. There are many other things which may be produced here to as great advantage as those mentioned, Yetspace will not permit their further considera- tion. Lands can be secured here by purchase from those holding patents and also from those who have submitted their proof of compliance with all the requirements of the law and there are some opportunities to secure assign ments and also relinquishmento of claims for small consideration, pending more complete survey of the lands; most of them have been temporarily withdrawn from market, hence no filings are being made. The prices of land ranges from $30.00 to s100.00 per acre depending more on location than quality for almost all the land is good and there is won derful uniformity of quality. There is now one hundred thousand acres under cultivation in this Valley and about two hundred thousand which may be added.
 With just moderately intensified cul- tivation the Imperial Valley can support several hundred thousand population and with these conditions realized what will be the value of the land? A hun dred dollars per acre? Yes. Two hun dred? Yes, three hundred in many places yes and much more as is now the case in Los Angeles and the adjacent counties.
 The land being formed by water is of necessity mainly water grade with few inequalities of surface, thus making it an ideal region for irrigation, which is proven by the fact when we'll bordered one may be able to irrigate from forty to eighty acres day.
 'I consider the owners of land i'll the Imperial Valley among the luckiest farmers in the United States," says Hon. F. w. Mondell, of Wyoming, chair man of the House Committee on Irriga- tion and Reclamation of Arid Lands, af- ter day spent in viewing the wonder ful results of irrigation in that field.
 "I do not know of any section of land in the United States so naturally adapt ed to perfect irrigation as is the Imperi- al Valley. It is an eye'opener to all who visit it and to those more than ordinari- ly interested in the subject of irrigation