22 BULLETIN 458, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
thus affected. The records do not show, however, from what sta- 
tions these less-than-carload shipments were made, so that it is 
impossible to determine the aggregate additional rail transportation 
expense. 
Gins are located on the Holton Interurban Railway. All cotton 
which is shipped from these gins to a compress must pay the local 
charges on this railroad to El Centro, no part of which is refunded: 
Beyond El] Centro compression in transit is permitted, and the 
charges on carload shipments to compress points are refunded under 
Southern Pacific tariffs, as has been described above. 
The excellent roads of the Imperial Valley, which are seldom dis- 
turbed by rainfall, make it more economical in some cases to haul 
cotton by autotrucks or wagons to compress points. In actual prac- 
tice it would seem that a relatively small amount is hauled in this 
way. If the experience of the Imperial Valley Long Staple Cotton 
Growers’ Association is representative of that of all the shippers in 
the valley, the amount so transported is shghtly in excess of 3 per 
cent. In computing the total transportation expense, however, ac- 
count must be taken of the cost of the haul by wagon and autotruck. 
