per acre, the enterprising American hesitates for one moment going further down the coast and take advantage of these immeasurable and immense values. Can it be possible that all of our boasted enterprise and Yankee shrewdness is but a myth? Are we afraid of an imaginary border line? A practical demonstration of peace, prosperity and development has been made by our sister Republic of Republic of Mexico during the past twenty-five years, under the wise and able administration of that grandest of all grand old men, President Porfirio Diaz. Are our farmers, horticulturists and cultivators generally going to wait until the entire territory is taken up and occupied by capitalists and land-grabbers before they see their golden opportunity? Let us hope not. The man of courage and foresight, determination and energy who packs his grip and takes a month's trip down on the west coast of Mexico, along the Harriman lines, has a revelation awaiting him. Splendid level coastal plain lands; enormous quantities of pure mountain water; a variety of crops of which we can hardly estimate the value: cheap and fairly efficient labor; the very best of transportation both by rail and water; high and constant markets; a delightful climate; excellent health conditions and in fact everything that the

pioneer or the developer needs, are right to his hand, simply awaiting his utilization. There is only one practical way to be convinced, and that is to go there and see for yourself.

Let us take a swift glance at the situation as it stands today. We will start down the line from the seaport of Guaymas, at the head of navigation on the Gulf of California. Gulf of California. Guaymas is a thriving city, substantially built, prosperous and growing in wealth and population. Situated as it is as the northern terminus of all steamship lines operating on the Gulf of California and south to Central America, it does a large shipping business and is a supply and manufacturing center for the entire north coast of the Gulf littoral.

From Guaymas we ride rapidly over a smooth and finely constructed road-bed (80 lb. steel rails, oak ties and gravel ballasted) south and east to the Yaqui river. In a few hours we have traveled the seventy miles from Guaymas to the station of Esperanza, which is the point on the Yaqui river where the American colonists enter that new and promising land, so long held by the resolute Yaqui Indians. These Indian troubles have all now been satisfactorily adjusted, and the wonderful riches of the Yaqui valley are

being thrown open to Americans. Hundreds have availed themselves of the opportunity. and the clearing of lands, planting of crops, building of homes, preparing for irrigation, and other necessary work of development, is proceeding rapidly. Immense capital is behind the project, fifteen millions, and names of international fame are associated with it, such as John Hays Hammond, Harry Payne Whitney, and others no less notable. A large canal is already constructed, many miles of laterals built, and crops now growing and producing excellent results. The success of the Yaqui project is past any question, and lands there now, sell readily at $25 per acre, with water rights. This Yaqui valley will be a large American colony in a few years. It was never more than sparsely occupied by either Indians or Mexicans, and the new development will bring in a flood of American settlers and capital which will thoroughly Americanize the entire valley.

The soil is unusually rich and fertile, the water supply ample, the climate most healthful, and better conditions for the farmer or colonist are hard to find on this continent. It will grow vegetables and fruits as well as grains, and eventually be a second Imperial Valley, with the ad

vantages of a milder and more equable climate, and 14 inches of annual rainfall, as against perhaps a third of that amount in the Imperial Valley. The soil is fully as rich and productive as the Imperial country, and the market as good, at even higher prices.

The Yaqui valley soil is of excellent quality, works well, is everlasting, and the land lies splendidly for irrigating.

A fair tree growth exists, and firewood commands good prices. Drinking water is palatable, and although the days in summer are hot, the nights are fine and cool enough for sleeping comfortably.

Leaving Esperanza, we ride south fifty miles through a country almost identical with the Yaqui, except for the lack of a water supply. At Navajoa, we see the Mayo river, a fine stream not yet utilized. Here lies Yaqui country, only almost undeveloped. A few Mexican companies and "haciendados" have made some development here, and reaped enormous returns in growing garbanzos (a variety of chick pea which is in great demand for export to Europe. where it is highly prized as a food.) In fact, some of the stories of the enormous profits in raising garbanzos read like fairy tales. Occasional instances are cited where the yield from a single sack

of garbanzos planted has been as high as 375 sacks selling at from $5 to $1.50 per sack in U. S. currency, or a gross return of about two thousand dollars per acre. The facts seem to be that the average rate of yield is about 150 to 1, and that the average market price is somewhere near $5 per sack in gold.

The Mayo is a very beautiful river, its waters clear and pure, and its little valley possesses some of the richest lands to be found. It is yet awaiting the influx of energy and capital, which cannot now be long delayed.

From Navajoa, our journey takes us

tober when, at San Blas, it measured 2160 feet in width and averaged 34 feet in depth, its current perhaps three and onehalf miles an hour.

It is at this point that one first begins to get a faint idea of the great future awaiting this new empire on the west coast of Mexico. Leave the train at the . station and ascend the hill nearby, and let us take our first look at northern Sinaloa and see for ourselves this magnificent panorama of the beautiful Fuerte valley. We ascend by a rugged and thorny path. and find ourselves at an elevation of about 500 feet, which gives a commanding view

almost due south some four hours' ride to the station of San Blas on the great Fuerte river, at which point the Southern Pacific Railroad intersects the line of the Kansas City, Mexico and Orient Railroad (Stilwell Road.)

This is the first real view of Sinaloa's greatest river, with its sources in the Sierras 350 miles east at altitudes of nearly ten thousand feet. The writer has seen the Fuerte River in the month of Oc

of the country for fifty miles in any direction. Turning to the east, we see a series of foothills, covered with grass and brush gently undulating away as far as the eye can reach and merging mistily into mountain ranges and peaks. Turning slowly toward the north, our vision sweeps over ranges of distant mountains, down over the higher foothills to the undulating lower foothills through which the Southern Pacific Railroad winds its way to

ward San Blas from Navajoa. So far the scene has not appealed very much save to the esthetic sense. One realizes that out over yonder lie fine forests of pine and oak and valuable hardwoods; mines of copper, silver and gold; deposits of lime, magnesite and other mineral values, and great stretches of excellent grazing lands, with occasional valleys of good agricultural lands, and also good fibre lands, but there is nothing to rouse special interest or enthusiasm. But let us keep on looking, turning constantly to our left and

westward. As our eye turns toward the Gulf of California, we see the glint of the waters of the Bay of Agiabampo, sixty miles to the north, and the eye rests on level coastal plains and beautiful fields. Nearer by, a few scattered chains of hills meet the eye, but they are not appreciable in the vast extent of level plain. Turning almost due west, we follow the windings of the great Fuerte river on its passage to the sea, and our eye is caught by the beautiful green of the delta lands lying between the two mouths of the river.