Imperial Valley press., 1924-03-27
INCLUDES US, TOO!

The following editorial appearing in the River
side Fress under date Of March 25 is fitting in its
application to Imperial County that we cannot refrain
from reprinting
The amount of acreage adjacent to Los Angeles
that has been turned into subdivisions is astounding to
say the least In two years. 10000 that might to-
day be producing fruits and vegetables sustain the
million population of Los Angeles have been lost to
agriculture
All of the facts enumerated in the Riverside ed-
torial only emphasize the fact that both
Riverside and Imperial Counties the backyard of
Los Angeles and must be depended upon to raise the
supendous amount of food necessary to feed Los An
geles and score of nearby growing cities.
This single fact alone, without any of the num-
other signs the WALL should insure pros
perity for Imperial Valley. Never have conditions
been favorable for soil activities here, and the last
paragraphs of the editorial especially worthy OF
serious thought
The small farm presided over by a scientific, up
to-date farmer, spells salvation for Imperial Valley
and will free from the greedy grasp of the real
estate manipulation and holder of large untitled
age who hopes to profit solely through increase in
values brought about by the other fellows hard work
and persistent efforts
The editorial in question follows:
In Los Angeles and vicinity during 1923 there
were S6,501 town lots put the market in ia
subdivisions This involved changing 1890
of agricultural land most of it under cultivation,
into city and suburban lots. The previous year
1868 acres were cut up IN the same way This
means that within two years nearly 10000 acres
of agricultural land changed from the pro-
ductive to the non-productve class in the city of
Los Angeles and immediate vicinity. In OIher
words 10000 acres all of which could have been
raising fruit and vegetables and much of which
was so used has ceased to be productive and other
land must be utilized for the production pos
sible and actual there.
This sort of thing is going all over South
ern California and many instances are seen right
in Riverside The writer had occasion to drive to
Huntington Beach few days ago and between
Santa Ana and Huntington Beach he noted score
of town lot subdivisions. This land had practical
ly all of it been under cultivation producing
beans, beets celery and other staple crops and it
is now taken out of the producing class and is be-
ing settled up for homes by people who are en-
ployed in Santa Ana Huntington Beach
Examples of this sort of development can be
multiplied in the vicinity of every large town in
Southern California and somewhere lands must be
put under cultivation to grow the crops once pro-
duced on these lands and to supply the mount
ing needs of the urban population in Southern Cal
ifornia that is increasing in phenomenal manner.
The area of agricultural land anywhere near Los
Angeles is being steadily reduced and herein lies
.the opportunity of Riverside county. This county
has the greatest acreage of fertile farm land, well
supplied with water, of any county within radius
even of hundred miles of Los Angeles and much
of Riverside county is only little over half that
distance from the metropolis. Real estate men
are waking up to this situation and that is why
the Hole ranch has been sold and is being taken
up in small tracts and why other farm subdivi-
sions in Riverside county attracting the atten-
tion of homeseekers.
The logic of events is bound to bring prosper
ity to Riverside county and the holders of acreage
available for subdivision into small home farms
should get ready for the settlers who are bound
to head this way.