Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1906-12-21
FARM CARD INDEX
IRRIGATED LANDS
A Reclamation Record That is Perfect
In Theory, Seems Practicable, and is
Bound to be Valuable.

The new card system devised by En-
gineer Stannard of the reclamation Of
tices here, for an encyclopaedia record
of the agricultural activities of this
valley, has now been prepared by a
card index concern and the blank cards
are now here together with the cabinet
for their filing.
This subject was previously referred
| to in these columns when the order for
the cards was given but it is of suffi-
cient interest to bear repeating and
further explanation. BY its use a vast
amount of information that will be val
liable both to the government and to
private individuals will be easily gath
cred and kept constantly on file for
reference. 1t was devised primarily for
the use OF the reclamation service
which on the completion of the reser-
voir will supervise the distribution of
water and in the effort to do so fairly
and equitably it will be necessary to
have this information at hand. 1t will
be necessary to have this information
at hand. 1t will also be especially val
liable as the years go by, for compar-
ison OF results one year with another,
showing the effect of government ir-
rigation and enabling the government
to ascertain in the most accurate way
possible, whether the government ir-
rigation project is proving a profitable
economical investment: whether the in
! creased area supplied with water and
I the increased crop results on that area
have justified the expenditure of the
vast sum of money necessary to con-
struct the irrigation works.
To do this Engineer Stannard was as
signed last summer to the task of first
gathering all the initial information
and then working out system for its
convenient recording and the constant
adding thereto of supplemental facts as
they are acquired. Mr.. Stannard has
progressed very satisfactorily and thus
far his plans seem to be ideal.
The system includes four sets OF
cards about four inches wide and about
six inches long. Card No. l is town
them are required. This card on one
side shows plat Of the township on
which can be indicated the area devot-
ed to any specific crop and on the other
side are entered the names of every
crop raised in the valley. Opposite these
names will be entered the acreage in
the township devoted to each crop.
Card No. is a section card and
many more of them are required. n
similar plat Of the section cut up in
fractions appears on one side and on
it can be indicated the acreage devoted
to each crop and on the other the fig
ures showing the acreage planted to
each crop. and the names of the own
ers or lessees of each farm in the sec
ton.
Card No. 3 is the individual farm
card. There will be one for each hold
ing by either lessee or owner and on
the reverse side will be recorded the
acreage planted by each farmer TO each
crop.
Card No. is merely an index to the
individual farmers and lessees and
shows the name OF every person en-
gagged in cultivating the soil in either
capacity.
II a stranger comes to town under
the impression that Simon SnOdgrass
or Alkali Ike either owns or rents a
farm he can find out in three minutes
by inquiring at the reclamation offices,
after this system gets into operation.
If he finds there is such a man the
next card viii tell him right where he
is operating and ought to be found
Each year at the stated season the
total acreage and total products raised
in the irrigated area can be accurately
and quickly figured up. A similar cal
culation one year later will show the
increase. Deficiency is not mentioned
for there is not going TO be any de-
ficiency; it is going to be one grand
march forwardw sometimes faster per-
haps and sometimes slower, but always
forward.
This at first thought would seem 10
indicate a stupendOus amount of work
and Roughly speaking IL does, but the
hard part, which is the start, has
already been done by Mr.. Stannard.
He has accurate data concerning the
acreage cultivated in 1906. as a start.
This was secured by a personal visit
of himself or his assistants to every
ranch or ranch owner in the valley.
Now that that will be tabulated and
fled his next years work VIII consist
Of changes and additions merely As
the days go by supplementary meth
DDS will doubtless be employed to Sc
cure this data. Just at present the
plan is 10 mail each supposed owner or
lessee. blanks to fill out giving the de-
sired information. All should be VIII
ing to accommodate in this matter FOR
1t will only cost a postage stamp and
a few minutes time. But many OF
course will neglect It and these VIII
have to be visited by a representative
of the government and the data Sc
cured at first hand. But It will not be
nearly so difficult task as Mr.. stan
nard had last summer. The Informal
ton once gathered it will be no embar-
RAISING task to transfer it to the cards.
When A sells his ranch his card can
be brought up to date or supplemented
with another and the proper change
will be noted on the other cards.
These cards have been printed Win
names of crops, dates, blanks and all,
and are designed to be ample for all
needs until 1915, there being on the
township and section card plenty oil
room to note changes and on the indi-
vidual cards blanks left for new crops
to be written in.
This system will prove constantly
I'D to date encyclopedia of'the agrl-
cultural activity of the irrigation dis
trict and will remove every element Ga