Imperial Valley press., 1912-02-06
KING COTTON'S PROSPECTS
IN IMPERIAL VALLEY
Espee Man Talks in Los Angeles of
Brilliant Prospects FOR CaIHornia's
New Industry and Is Optimistic

A Los Angeles paper mas the follow
ing:
1t requires a trip through other
states and a'study of conditions else
where to make one realize the I'M
pOrtance of the remarkable agricul-
tural development under way i'll
Southern California" said c. e. Waut-
land, general sales agent for Southern
Pacific lands, yesterday.
The February excursion of the
Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce
to the Imperial valley will prove to be
an education to many who think they
know what has been going on but
who have been sleeping in the sema-
phOrc's glare. The business men here
do not begin 10 realize the growth
hat is certain for The next five years
in Los Angeles back cOuntry-thc
nearby districts in California, Nevada
and Arizona.
1t is not eXtraVagant to predict that
the area under cultivation for cotton,
fruits and vegetables, alfalfa and
grains will be doubled within a few
Years. and through the operation Of
scientific agricultural work the greater
production per acre will make first class
farming more profitable even if the
prices received for what is raised
should be decreased. This great gain
in the profits for the farmers will
offset the complaints about railroad
rates regardless Of the notifications
which it is believed will result from
the opening of the Panama canal.
The United States reclamation ser
vice should within year throw open
to development 100000 acres under
the Yuma project. The reorganization
and extension of the Imperial district
canals and the arteSian wells in the
Coachella valley will add at least 150,-
coo acres and private irrigation prof.
ects operating under the desert land
act and ranches developed with pri-
yate capital, another 100000 acres. In
Arizona, in districts tributary to Los
Angeles as a trade center, under gov
ernment and private projects 100000
acres will be added, and in Nevada,
under the Carey act, projects in the
valleys being developed by wells and
private irrigation plants. another 250,-
GOO acres Nevada is developing rap
idly as farming state and Los Ange-
les divides fairly with San Francisco
and Salt Lake City the trade from Ne
vada's new agricultural district. All
OF this southern land produces unusu-
ally large crops per acre, averaging
from two to five times he value OF
crops in the central grain raising
states.
The great new Gotten industry in
Southern California is opening the
eyes of Texas and other cotton rails
ing states. The favorable conditions,
immunity from boil wecvil and frosts,
better labor supply, the production Of
more than a bale an. acre, the loca
ton so close to deep water, all count
in favor of California. The demand
for westward shipments 10 Japan as
we'll as shipments through the gulf
ports afford the necessary competition
to keep up the prices Improved plans
for financing cotton bills of lading now
being perfected for the benefit of
southern cotton growers Will soon
bring order out OF the present confu-
sion in this respect in the southern
states 1t is confidently predicted that
cotton shipments from Yuma, Impe-
rial and Ccachella points will soon
bring $10,000,000 annually, and it is
not idle to talk Of cotton mills in
/ Los Angeles. Southern California
raises most successfully the long sta
pie Egyptian cotton and at present the
United States imports about S15.000,-
worth annually Of this class.