1HE IRRIGATION AGE. 51 



ing cattle and hogs into beef and pork. This will be the first staple 

 industry. 



As to fruit, those fruits grown will be early. Canteloupes and 

 watermellons are being successfully and profitable grown at Indio and 

 Yuma. These crops have netted the growers $100 an acre or more 

 the past season, and the mai'kets for these products are fast being 

 developed. It is believed that apricots, peaches, pears and grapes 

 will -do well in this country. All such fruits will be from four to 

 six weeks earlier than similar fruits grown in the coast valleys of 

 Southern California. It is believed that the finest layer raisins in the 

 world will be produced in the Imperial Settlements, for they will be 

 cured by placing them on trays and not exposing them to the sun at 

 any time before being perfectly cured. 



All indications point to a rapid settlement and a rapid develop- 

 ment of the resources of this country, and hence, there must be a 

 rapid advance in prices, not only of ranch property, but of town prop- 

 erty also. 



One-fifth of the land that can be irrigated on the United States 

 side of the line is already in the hands of the settlers, and the other 

 four-fifths is being taken as rapidly as the irrigation system can be 

 extended. 



Prices of water stock were started at $8. 75 per share or acre, with 

 liberal concessions to those who purchased the first 50,000 shares. 

 Tho price was then advanced to $11.25, and on the first of October, 

 1901, the price advanced to $15, and by the first of January next the 

 price will go to $20 a share. This will be cheap for the price of such 

 land, with such a'good water right, and so cheap water will not stop 

 until it reaches $50, $75 or $100 an acre, and the advance under pres- 

 ent conditions must be very rapid. The price of the land will still re- 

 main the same $1.25 per acre. The price of the water stock will be 

 advanced so that it will keep pace with the price of land and water 

 combined. The speculation is not in the land, but in the water. 



