Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1909-04-11

The kernel of our story is Yuma Valiey
wealth of vegetation producing ingredieh.s'
the versatility of It's conditions INC -
dsrfuI range Of its producing powers. -
lows in, sequence the opportuliintIie9 80
afforded to healthseekers wealth-seeNeis
and nome-seekers, on the farm LANDS OF III
the town they surround; follows the s.oiS
of that town its splendid location; aliuI
ing prospects and inviting held lor lilVvs'
ment; comes in turn the tale OF our W. "a
lined hills with their stores OF soiu anu
silver conner and lead, iron and clnnapar'
while over all looms the fact OF the worIu .
most nearly perfect all-year climate-per-
petual sunshine, snow. almost no Ilos''
and never d heat that Will hurt anyone
When the evidence shall all be IN mere
will appear nothing strange OF of
able in President Roosevelts estlmate VI
lands in the lower valleys of the Colorauo
river which in a message to congress nc
made in these words:
"a most conservative estimate AFTER luiI
development, must place the gross pr PRO-
from this land at not less IMAM S'Vo ~
acre per year; every ten acres OF Which
will sI1pport a family when under intensive
cultivation Much of the land Will De WORT,
from $500 to $500 per acre TO lnuiViu n,e,
owners" But to the kernel: Inc prouu
and exceptional boast is mace tnau nian,
pages will provide: Alfalfa, which is rap.
idly becoming the standard forage plant VI
the world has its home in Yuma Vaiiey.
Every month in the year sees IL pelns CUT
in this favored locality, whlie seven ~
tinps is considered the minimum Wnen
harvested for hay alone. Properly tehdeu
fields average ten tons per acre. For sew
eral years past the price of baied allaila
has not fallen below $13 per ton.
The growing Of alfalfa SEED Is pecoiilie
an important industry, 500 pounds per acre
being a normal yield. Growers frequently
report higher averages, b. L. Hansperser
reporting 700 pounds per acre from oiie
field. .,4
A typical instance Of alfalfa proft Is that
OF w. W. Woodman, who reported thas
from fourteen acres he sold 1880 pounds OF
seed for Il cents per pound, which, aIter
deductng $123.60, the cost OF hulllng anu am,
sacking, left him $3.50; then sold Soo worth
of alfalfa straw, and before ana aiter 'he
seed crop cut sixty tons of fine nay on
which the average profit was $40, thus ng-
uring a net profit of approximately sloo
per acre. This is not an exceptional case.
Winter gardening in Yuma valley Is Ger Ger
tain to acquire worldWide tame.
accompanying photograph of a hourishlng
garden containing peas-matured, young
and in blossom-spinach, radishes' peels,
turnips. onions. cabbages, lettuce and many
other garden products, was taken Deeem
Der %, 1908, on the place OF EDWIN neiue..
fall, winter or spring day. The INDUSTRY
is proving a great profit to Mr.. Reider' as
well as to other thrifty gardeners:
Saxon p. Huss, one OF the valleys SUP
stantial farmers, had string peahs anu
Stra wberries from his home garden, grown
without protection, on Christmas day. mo-
body would blame the northerner or east
erner whose mouth waters at this 1ntorma-
ton. - 49, -,
Onion growing was begun in 1907 upon the
initiative of the Arizona university expert
mental station, and here again Yuma val
lev soil water and weather were found not
wanting The white Bermuda, In partlcu-
lar proved the adaptability or the section
One and two-tenths acres, under inteliigeht
cultivation yielded a net proht OF ABOUT
1900. Onions are strictly winter crop, the
seed being planted in September trans,
planted in December and harvested IN April
and May, thus securing the advantage ol
a high priced early market. From eight TO
twelve tons of white Bermuda onions Is
considered an average yield
BARLEY and wheat are Yuma valley sta
pies, both yielding exceptionally Well An
average of fifty bushels OF barley 10 .he
acre, sown any time between september
and March 1 may be depended upon. The
fayorite method of growing barley and
wheat is to SOW early and harvest In March
or April, The. splendid utility OF a grain
crop will be better realized when II is un-
derstood that a crop of corn, maize, pump
kins or melons may be grown on the same
ground during the same season.
In addition to the advantages OF winter
gardening, early spring vegetables are q
source of phenomenal profit to Yuma val
ley farmers. Cantaloupes, watermelons ana
tomatoes. given the advantage of an ex-
ceptionally early growing season. are placed
on the market in May and June, at a time
which practically relieves them OF competi-
ton. X s. Vowel sold s1S63 worth OF wa
termelons from eight acres, without maui
ing them off the ground, and instances or
greater returns are known. From an acre
of cantaloupes e. l.. Crane proved the pos
sibility of a net return of $l4lSs2 while
the same grower, from an acre or tomatoes,
realized $551sS net. These latter, with
slight protection. may be had every day
in the wear Celery caulflower and as
paragus are also successful crops Whlle
the cutting and baling of succulent alfalfa
goes merrily on in season ana out OF sea-
son. other crops are steadily demanding
attention and yielding commensurate re-
turns.
Milo maize, kaffr corn and sorghum are
highly successful and profitable forage
crops Yuma valley sunshine provides the
fodder with an abundance OF saccharlne
matter and the stock to which 1t is fed
does the rest. In point of prolihcness, 1t
may be said with little exaggeration that
the main item of expense is hauling All
varieties of stock thrive on these fodders,
and the market demand at good prices mas
never been supplied AS poultry Feed the
grain excels and finds ready sale In the
head at $50 per ton. Four and five tons OF
grain per acre are not uncommon yields.
Threshed seed of the milo maize and kanir
corn bring 50 to $3.50 per hundred. spring
and fan crop may be grown in any season.
the latter. however, being most prevalent.
Sugar cane is produced successfully but
in small quantities. being principally sold
as a CONNECTION. Mllet may be grown any
time from February to November.
Yuma valley corn asks no odds of Kan
sas or Iowa. Here we have a corn belt
of our own, and the testimony of farmers
Two women's clubs-the Yuma Woman's
club and the Ocotillo cub-are well organ