Imperial Valley press., 1912-08-08
COTTON INDUSTRY IS
UNDERGOING ORGANIZATION

An important change is taking place
| in the cotton industry, which will
place that line of production on 4
much better basis than ever before.
| To tell the truth, the period had
| come in the industry when it was an
| open question whether it would go
| ahead or backward. and this year it
! is travelling in both directions, with
| great promise for the future.
The industry has gone backward in
! acreage, but it is making great strides
! forward in the quality OF the product
and the perfection of the facilities for
handling it.
In a considerable part of the cotton
| grown in the valley this year will be
the Durango medium staple and the
! Egyptian long staple, the two being
marketable respectively for about 20
| and % cents, at which prices there is
! much profit in the industry. while the
ordinary upland cotton does not give
| big margin to the growers.
But one of the most promising feat
ures of the situation is the thorough
organization which has been offered
among the producers, which is holding
out the promise of more satisfactory
| market conditions. They will get a
better price for seed. and there is
every reason 10 believe the market
will accord TO them premiums to
which the quality of the product en-
titles the valley producers
These premiums will add very ma
terially to the value of the cotton pro.
duced here.
In view of the changes that are tax
ing place. it is highly probable that
as much as 800 an acre gross will be
obtained by a number of farmers and
a few may run considerably beyond
that point.
The question whether cotton is 70
be permanent crop in the valley is
thus answered in the affirmative by
this years crucial experience.
There are about 300 acres OF Egypt
ian cotton in the valley TO be harvested
this year, this being the first year in
which II has been grown on a COM
merclal scale. and there is about the
same quantity of Durango medium.
staple cotton, which was grown last
year for the first time for the market,
bringing 10 cents.
Reports from both the Egyptian ana
Durango fields are that the crOD IS
in a most satisfactory condition Pick
ing has not yet been begun, but the
crop is far enough advanced to deter
mine the success that has been
achieved
IT seems probable that a consider
able part of the valley product will
go to the eastern market this year.
The farmers here have felt that they
should at least have the New Orleans
price, getting the benefit of the
freights when the cotton is sent TO
the coast or to Japan, bur they have
not had this price in the past. ana
the sentiment is strong that if the
growers must pay the freight TO New
Orleans, they will send the cotton
there, believing thereby they will get
the premiums.
fortunately, the growers are facing
a year of good prices. much better
than those of last year, and probably
as good as those of the year before
last This, with the turn to the high
er grades of cotton, will have a ten
dency once more to increase the acre
age grown, and the present prospect
IS that the acreage next year will ap-
proach that of last year. when $4,000
acres was raised
The cotton industry is here 10 stav,
and while one cannot now estimate
its relative Importance in future years
TO other industries enough is known
to state without fear of contradiction.
that it will be one of the big indus
tries of the valley for many years.