THE MONTIIIA' BULLETIN. 187 



where \hv water supply is sufficient, equaling at least 30 inches of 

 rain, and where the soil is free from injurious quantities of salts 

 and hardpan. 



COTTON BOLL WEEVIL. 



The boll weevil, which has threatened the cotton industry of parts 

 of Texas and the Soutli, has so far been kept out of this State. By a 

 proper enforcing of the ({uarantine law against the importation of 

 cotton seed this pest will proba])ly not be introduced. 



ECONOMIC CONDITIONS. 



The economic conditions are next in importance. In some respects 

 California is not at any disadvantage in marketing, as the Oriental 

 trade is rapidly developing, and with the opening of the Panama Canal. 

 England and the New England markets will be brought much closer. 

 The opportunity for developing exteu.sive cotton mills in California is 

 good, especially if California produces a high class, long staple cotton 

 that would form the })asis of a specialized trade. 



Of course, cotton production must bo on a community basis. One 

 man can not raise cotton unles.s on a large enough scale to afford a 

 gin. Cotton will not be a crop, then, for any isolated sections, where 

 ginning facilities are not at hand. Where cotton is grown in sufficient 

 quantities an oil mill can be estalilished to handle the seed crop, and 

 an additional revenue lie obtained from this by-product, as well as a 

 new and profitable industry started. 



The labor problem is an unknown factor, but it is my firm opinion 

 that two paths are open in developing the cotton industry of California : 

 one ultimately leading to an increase of our labor problems, and the 

 other to a substantial home building on the farm land of this State, 

 with a minimizing of our labor troubles. 



The first is the extensive system of cotton planting, where bulk and 

 not quality is the prime requisite. In this system, the tendency would 

 be to farm large tracts of land, which leads to an extensive renting 

 system, and a consequent discouragement of the establishment of farm 

 homes and the healthy development of rural life. This is already 

 proving true in Imperial Valley, where the proportion of large tracts 

 of rented land in cotton to the smaller tracts in cotton is increasing 

 rapidly. This system would give labor to many now unemployed, and 

 to certain of the laborers now used in harvesting the grain and fruit 

 crops of the State, which temporarily might relieve conditions to a 

 certain extent ; but it would also mean the introduction of the other 

 cheaper labor, such as the Negro, Hindu and Mexican, who would be 

 idle much of the year. Although modern invention has made it pos- 

 sible to do much of the labor in the cotton fields by the use of improved 

 implements — except for the matter of picking— the cheap labor is 

 essential to the success of the industry. In addition to this labor 

 problem, which we would be inviting by introducing the system of 

 cotton raising to which I have just referred, it has the effect of stimu- 

 lating a system of tenancy, which we should avoid. 



The second is an intensive system of cotton culture with a diversifica- 

 tion of crops, which is eminently suited to California conditions. 

 Instead of large tracts of land devoted to common cotton, the rule would 



