PULSE OF THE IRRIGATION INDUSTRY. 



91 



The crop of fruit for shipment now 

 promises to be about an average with 

 other years. There are few pears but an 

 abundance of peaches and French prunes. 



Quite a number of big hotels have been 

 burned in Southern California within the 

 past three years. Not one of them has 

 been, or is being rebuilt. 



A huge fruit distillery is being built in 

 Fresno that will work up a large quan- 

 tity of this year's crop which would not 

 otherwise find a ready market. 



F. M. Smith, of Oakland, claims to have 

 completed negotiations in England for the 

 development of his California borax mines 

 and for the sale of its products. 



The new city water system at San Jac- 

 into is reducing the flow of the artesian 

 wells below, upon which Lake View and 

 other localities are dependent for a water 

 supply. 



The patronage in sight justified the 

 proprietor of the new Casa Loma hotel, at 

 Redlands, to remain open during the 

 summer, instead of closing as was the 

 original intention. 



A gigantic electric company has filed 

 its incorporation papers at Fresno, to 

 develop power in the Sierra Nevadas and 

 transmit it to Stockton perhaps to San 

 Francisco. 



The Fresno Water Company is increas- 

 ing its water supply by the boring of 

 three additional wells, to accommodate 

 increasing demands and the necessities of 

 the Electric Light Company. 



California canned asparagus is winning 

 its way in the eastern markets and com- 

 mands a ready sale and higher prices than 

 the New Jersey product. It goes to 

 market packed in both tin and glass. 



The suit for damages by the Fresno 

 Milling Co., against the Fresno Canal and 

 Irrigation Co., asking damages for inter- 

 fering with water supply has been de- 

 cided in favor of the defendants. 



This has been the hottest season ever 

 known in the Colorado and Mojave 

 deserts, the mercury ranging for days 

 from 124 to 128 degrees. It is altogether 

 too tropical for comfort. 



The farmers near Banning are reported 

 as having adopted a system in the cultiva- 

 tion of their lands which is proving emi- 

 nently satisfactory. A man having a 



hundred acres devoted to grain plants 

 only one-half each year, giving the other 

 half a rest and chance for recuperation. 

 They claim that the crops are so much 

 better the profit resulting is altogether in 

 favor of this plan. 



At the convention of orange and lemon 

 growers at Los Angeles it was clearly 

 brought out that the co-operative method 

 of marketing is gaining favor, and it re- 

 ceived a practically unanimous endorse- 

 ment. 



The "campaign" at the Chino beet 

 sugar factory opened in the last days of 

 July. There has been a larger planting 

 than ever before and they are preparing 

 for an output of nearly or quite 30,000,- 

 000 pounds. 



The Southern Pacific Eailroad company 

 has purchased thirty-five acres of land 

 near Cucamonga and have opened a granite 

 quarry. The stone is said to be of extra 

 fine quality, and the fragmental rock is to 

 be used for ballast. 



The Southern Pacific Railroad company 

 has also purchased ten acres of land in 

 East Riverside, which will afford ample 

 room for the location of packing houses 

 that will soon be needed for handling the 

 crop from the extensive growing orchards. 



The state tax levy this year is yielding a 

 large excess of revenue, the governor 

 having vetoed several of the appropriation 

 bills. On the same valuation the rate can 

 be reduced for next year from 65.8 cents 

 to 48.5 cents on the hundred dollars. 



San Diego voted by more than a two- 

 thirds majority to issue $1,500,000 bonds 

 to purchase the Morena water system and 

 to provide for the construction of a new 

 city plant. The opponents immediately 

 sued out an injunction and now the law- 

 yers will have their innings. 



John E. Kirk has planted 250 acres of 

 hemp near Gridley and will give it thor- 

 ough irrigation by pumping from the 

 Feather river. He has the machinery on 

 the ground for a complete hemp mill 

 which will be in readiness by the time the 

 hemp is ready to manufacture. 



The Redlands Electric Light Co. is 

 adding a steam plant as protection against 

 accidents. It has been successful in every 

 sense and has secured some very valuable 

 contracts, which do not permit of a single 



