The Arizona sentinel., 1908-10-07
TIMELY HINTS
FOR FARMERS.
A Lesson in Intensive Farming by
r ii. Forbes, Director and
Chemist of Agricultural
Experiment Station
University of Arizona,
January Is. 1907.

January l5, 1907.
Just west of Yuma, Arizona, in the alluvial
Of 10 acres which on May |, 1905, was virgin
bOttomland, covered with saltweed, arrow
brush and creosote bushes. TIE original
purpose of the tract was for planting selected
varieties of date palms imported by the u. =.
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 or WORK.
Recognizing however, that,a farmer with
his living to make meantime, cannot afford
to 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 q feasible basis from the small farm
er'S point of view. In order TO ecOnOmiZe
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 all acre in
size. lrrigating water from the Colorado
Valley p. q l. Canal was obtained in the GUS
tOmary manner, and r.. l.. Crane, himself q
Yuma Valley farmer, undertook the care of
what was nicknamed 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,
corn, barley, and forages in general compare
lively little attention being given to vege-
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
irrigatng system now under construction
Will be about $3.50 an acre annually for ten
years. TO meet these and other heavy items
of expense in connection with the establish
ment of a farm in this region, intensive crops
of n more remunerative character than those
now in vogue, are essential. 1t was partly,
therefore, as an object lesson bearing upon
these financial 1CnpptS nf the Upnprpl Sifup-
ton, that this cultural work was planned.
RECLAMATION OF THE GROUND.
The soil of our tract, q warm, sandy loam
well adapted To gardening operations, was
levelled, ditched and boidered at ontract
price of Sl7.20 an acre, considerably less than
the az Nerage for the locality, reckoning the
labor of men and teams at current rates. In
addition, barbed wire and posts for fencing
cost S60l0 lumber for headgateS cost $39.57;
a drive well point and pipe, u pitcher-spout
pump and n barrel, $l3.45; a small lumber
IwO-rOOm house, including five and One-half
days carpenter hire Sl52.75; and II brush-roof
shelter for horses, about s. GU. Only skilled
labor employed in levelling, bordering and
ditching the ground, and for part construc-
ton of the house is included in the above
estimates, as the common labor required or
dinarily would he, and in this case was fur
niShed by the farmer himself
TO bring this ground under cultivation and
make it habitable for Il small farmer and his
family, as stated above, therefore required
cash outlay of about S4O0.uO. In addition, in
the average instance must be included a
team wagon. plow, harrow, haying equip
ment ShOvulS hoes and other small tools.
CROPS AND MARKETS.
The crops selected for the season OF 1906
were Early Rose potatoes, White Bermuda
onions. Rockyford can taioupes, 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 le-
turns to the small farmer, who with al. aver
age family of five and a team of horses is as
sumed 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 80 cents for irrigation per acre for the crops
grown. The yields in certain instances are
low, due to the unimproved condition OF the
SOIL which, like desert soils in ger -.al, was
low in nitrogen and organic matter. Some
small salty areas also affected yields locally.
White Bermuda onions; Al acres; seed
planted Sept. 27-0ct. 3, 1905 Young onions
transplanted, Feb. SO, 1905. Crop matured
about June |. Yield, 1916 pounds Of dry on
ions Highest price received, 2l2c a pound:
lowest price received, 1.Sc u pound. Entire
crop marketed in Yuma.