Imperial Valley press., 1922-09-22
soNETHING CALLING FOR ACTION


what he regards most serious situation and one calling
for remedial measures applied consistently, pers1stenty
and in an organized Coming IN the summer time
when large numbers OF people were OUT Oh !he vles anu
those who remained occupied with primary election
we have opportunity to ponder the contents OF the
letter and to discuss privately with those who might be
in position know how much of merit there might be to
the suggestions contained therein survey OF the situation
has CONVINCED us that not only the matter of the letter
sound but that evils to which attention is called go
the root OF all the problems OF an economic nature VIII"
which have to deal.
Briefly this farmer who shall be naeess for the sake
of making this discussion mpersonal, that wherever
failure has attended the efforts OF our arhers except III
the occasional where for another the
market products has collapsed there can be as
signed the fact that the farmer mas peFneu
the fertility of his soil to down. The letter illustrates
the point with specific instances and clcnes the argument
bv showing that himself has been uniformly successful
in non spectacular way good seasons and
standing the fact that he has operated at the Vnsg
point OF Imperial valley farming enterprises, S
he has farmed the loWprced products IKE COTTON ana
barley maize and has dabbed IN the high Vaued
aon,podte like lettuce and melons which have yielded
fortunes When and have been so low priced tat
the average man has lost merely broken eVeh our
CORRESPONDENT has made little money by of the fact
that with overhead of fixed expense MS ar mas
yielded him very much larger crops
4 Now Investigation of the question develops the TACT
that the point raised is not merely casual or OF passing IN
tere denc concern for the consideration Oh
book farmers but for which real dirt farmers are TOO ousy
There is involved in 1.-THE VERY LIFE or lMPEklAL
VALLEY.
The reason for this rests upon economic principle
as fundamental as two times two
farmers and prosperity, and consequently
his happiness the margin of his product over his fixed
and necessary expenses The and prosperity and
mon the success Of the farmer accordingly the
very existence of Of US is involved IN the 1arer
net margin above his expenses mat margin IS
by the fertility of the farms
1t NAV be said that this all re enough and not
to any argument whatever Very but probably 80
cent Of the farmers are overlooking it. We have deve
opment agents and chambers OF commerce seeking new
enterprises for Imperial valley and settlers to exploit
those we have yet attention this point could double
the annual wealth of the county There hardly
farm-probaby not single onewhich attention to the
question of fertilization would convert from losing
venture into a 1t is not small matter IL IS
very large matter and the thing which makes matter OF
life and that the farmers profit the return Wnn
HE for his investment and his labor IS ALL IN IHE
EXTRA RETURN WHICH THE FERTILIZER bhlN1o
This article but the opening gun The Press going
maintain this agitation until something Is done me
writer laid this subject before of the successful men OF
the citrus industry of the state His reply was an ndugeht
smile for simplicity and ignorance He SAID that the
citrus industry could exist without attention to the mat
ter fertilization. The California Fruit Growers EN
change imports cover crop seed by the snipIoad' II % %
this available its members Maintaining the fertility OF tne
soil is fundamental as picking oranges ana pGoeg gd 1
packing house The orange and lemon business Wouo
collapse without fertilization
Now here the tragedy about this thing. The Univer
sty of California KNOWS the truth OF what Is mere set
forth It's observations proving the point IN every part
one Of the foremost soil echnoogts Of the country and
this point proved out under his observation IN
way that almost startngnot here however, but some
where else
The University has had an establishment here for
years maintained at public expense and plenty OF ~ mere
isn't anything in California within the entire jurisdiction of
the University of California comparable in Importance as
an agricultural proposition with the Imperial valley And
yet the University takes leadership in this question
which OF utmost importance to u.s. me people VINO
are discussing the Rotary Clubs and the bankers and
business The advisors" are not advising and the
experiment farms not experimenting, or II they are
there is no punch TO their efforts and they not getting
anywhere The farming industry Of the valley langulshes
for want Of food.
The Press means criticism of the University person
mel who are here The trouble with the system The Uni
rsit} i'll permit field TO take any initiative we
know this because given them the opportunity and
have made available great publicity machine. They are
wha they have available if the people
want iand let the thing go at that Nothing was ever
yet accomplished bv static situation and never viii be-
The University useless Imperial valley unless they are
willing leadership and point the and agl
and stir up public sentiment and magnetic the things
that learned by experience into some
thing OPERATIVE That agriculture in Imperial valley
angushes for OF the application of the first principles
of scientific farming is in respects rebuke to the