The Arizona sentinel., 1907-05-01
TIMELY HINTS
 FOR FARMERS,
A Lesson in Intensive Farming by K. H. Forbes, Director and Chemist of Agricultural
 Experiment Station.
University of Arizona, January l5, 1907.

January l5, 1907.
 Just west of Yuma. Arizona, tn the alluvial flood plain Of the Colorado, lies little farm Of 7.2 acres which on May l, 1905, was virgin bottOmland, covered with saltweed, arrow brush and creOSOte bushes. The original purpose of the tract was for planting selected varieties of date palms imported by the U, S. Department of Agriculture from the Old World. The Experiment station, May 2 be- gan preparing the ground, and on May 20 the work of levelling, bordering and irrigating the tract and the planting Of l52 palms, was completed.
 THE PLAN OF WORK.
 Recognizing, however that a farmer with his living to make meantime, cannot afford 10 wait for an orchard to come into bearing, 1t was planned to plant crops for quick re- turns between the tree-rowS, thus putting the work on a feasible basis from the small farm CTS point of view. In order 10 CcOnOmiZe ground the irrigating borders were so placed as to coincide with the rows of palms, thus utilizing space otherwise usually wasted. The tract was divided by the borders into lands, for the most part one-half acre in size. lrrigating water from the Colorado Valley F. x l. Canal was obtained in the GUS tOmary manner, and F.. l.. Crane, himself a Yuma Valley farmer, undertook the care of what was nicllnamed our play farm.'' In size, as well as in the intensive character Of the work planned, this farm" is the Op- posite of the average holdings of this locality. The prevailing crops of the region are alfalfa, 1 corn, barley, and forages in general, com para lively little attention being given to vege- tables and fruits. Withal, the cost of levelling land in this region is high, rarely falling be- low twenty dollars an acre at current prices for labor and teams Moreover, the cost, ex elusive of maintenance, of the Government irrigating system now under construction will be about S3.5O an acre annually for ten years. To meet these and other heavy items of eXp perSe in connection with the establish | ment of d farm in this region, intensive crops of a more Temunerative character than those now in vogue, are essential. It was partly, therefore, as an object lesson bearing upon | these financial aspects of the general situa- | ton, that this cultural work was planned.s-s
 RECLAMATION OF THE GROUND.
 The soil of our tract a warm, sandy loam well adapted to gardening operations, was levelled, ditched and boIdered at a contract price Of Si7.2D an acre, considerably less than the average for the locality, reckoning the labor Of men and teams at current rates. In addition, barbed wire and posts for fencing cost S60.lO; lumber for headgates cost &59.57; O drive well point and pipe, pitcher-spout pump and barrel, Sl345 a small lumber Iwo-rOOm house, including hve and one half days carpenter hire, Sl52 75; and a bruSh-rOOf shelter for horses, about $5OO. Only skilled labor employed in levelling, bordering and ditcI1ing the ground, and for part construc- ton of the house, Is included in the above estimates, as the common labor required or dinariy would be, and in this case was, fur nished by the farmer himself
 To bring this ground under cultivation and make 1t habitable for a small farmer and his family, as stated above, therefore required a ca sh 0iitJav of about S40O.IO. In addition, in
 
 the average instance must be included a team, wagon. plow, harrow, having equip ment, shovels hoes and other small tools. CROPS AND MARKETS.
 The crops selected for the season of 1906 were Early Rose potatoes, White Bermuda onions. Rockyford cantaiOupeS, Dwarf Cham pion and Burpee'S Quarter Century tomatoes, and alfalfa, besides a few hills Of watermelons and sundry vegetables.
 The produce was marketed in Yuma with the exception of tomatoes, which, for the largest part, were expressed to Tucson and Bisbee. The following statements for the various crops are on the basis of net cash Ie- turns to the small farmer, who with all aver age family of five and team of horses is aS- stunned to do the work required. as explained below. Items necessitating cash outlay, as seed, irrigating water, and crates are deducted from gross returns. Water costs an average of 30 cents for irrigation per for the crops grown. The yields in certain instances are low, due to the unimprOveG condition of the soil, which, like desert soils in general was low in nitrogen and organic matter Some small salty areas also affected yields locally. White Bermuda onions; AT acres; Seed planted Sept. 27-Oct. 3, 1905. Young onions | transplanted, Feb. 5-9. I90d. Crop matured about June l. Yield, 39l6 pounds of dry on- | ions. Highest price received, 21se pound: lowest price received, l.Sc pound. Entire | crop marketed in Yuma.
 Cash Cash