The Arizona sentinel., 1910-11-10
TIMELY HINTS
 FOR FARMERS,
4 Lesson in Intensive Farming by P F. Forbes, Director ard Chemist of Agricultural
 Experiment Station
University Of Arizona,
 Vn,,, .,,.,- z gGNs-

Just west Of Yuma, Arizona, in the alluvial flood plain Of the Colorado, lies a little farm 0f 3.2 acres winch on May l, l905, was virgin bott0rniand, covered wiih saltweed, arrow brush and creCSOte bushes. Tne original purpoSe ol the tract was fer planting selected varieties of date palms imported by the U. ;. Department Of Agriculture from the Cid World The Experiment station, May 2. be- gan preparing the ground, and OH May 20 the work Of dwelling, bordering and irrigating the tract and the planting of lo2 palms, was completed.
 THE PLAN OF WORK.
 Recognizing, however, that farmer With his living to make meantime, cannot afford to wait for an orchard to come into bearing, it was planCed 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 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 an acre in size. lrrGatiRg water front the Colorado Valley F. & l. Canal was obtained in the GUS toluary manner and l.. l.. Crane, himself 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 tine op- pOsite of the average holdings Of this locality. The prevailing crops of the region are alfalfa, corn, barley, and forages in general, compara- lively little attention being given to vege- tables and fruits. Withal, the cost Of levelilng land in this region is high, rarely falling be- low twenty dollars an acre at current prices for labor and teams. Moreover, the cost, eS- elusive of maintenance, of the Government irrigating system HOW under construction will be about S350 an acre annu9lly for ten years. To meet these and other heavy items of xperse m connection with the establish menJ of a farm in this region, ii.tensiVe crops of more remuncratiVe character than those now in vogue, arc essential. It was partly, therefore, as an object lesson bearing upon these financial aspects of the general sitna- ,in" that this cultural work was planned.
 RECIAMATION OF THE GROUND.
 The soil Of our tract, a warm, sandy lCam well adapted to gardening operations, was levelled, ditched and b0rdered at a contract price Of siI2J an acre, considerably less than the average for the locality, reckoBing the labor of men and teams at current rates. In addition, bar6ed wire and posts for fencing cost S60 lU; lumber fCr headgates cost SS9.57; drive well point and pipe, a pitchcr-Spout pUmr and a barrel, sl3.i5; a small lumber two-ro0iu house, including five and one-haif days carpenter hire, Sl52.75; and a brushroCf shelter for horses, about S5.O0. Only skilled labor employed in lcVeliing, bordering and ditching the ground, and for part cOnstruc- tion of the house, is included in the above estimates, as the common labor required or dinarily would be, and in this case was, fur niShed by the farmer himself
 To bring this ground under cultivation and make it habita.Ie for a small farmer and his family, as stated above, therefore required q cash outlay of about Si0000. In addition in the average instance must be included a team, wagon. blow, harrow, having equip n!ent Sh0VelS hoes and other small tools.
 CEoPS AND MARKETS.
 The crops selected for tie season Of 1886 were Early Rose potatoes, White Bermuda onions. Rock yfoTd cantaioupeS Dwarf Cham pion and buTpec's Qua} ter Century tomatoes, and alfalfa, besides few hills of watermelons ard SuHGry vegetables.
 The produce was marketed in Yuma with the exception of tomatoes, which, for the largest part, were expressed tD Tucson and Bisbee. The following statements for the various crops are on the basis of net cash le- turns 10 the small farmer, who with ar aver age family of five and team of horses is as Sumed to do the work required. as explained below. Items neceSSi!ating cash outlay, seed, irrigating water and cTates are deducted from gross returns Water costs an average Of 50 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 geEUIid, was low in nitrogen and organic matter. Some small salty areas also affected yields locally. White Bermuda onions: .47 acres; Seed planted sept. 27-Oct. 3, 1895. Young onions transplaBted Feb. 5-J, l96. Crop matured about June ]. Yield, 39!6 pounds of dry on- ions. Highest price received, 2l4c a pound; lowest price received, l.Sc q pound. Entire crop marketed in Yuma.
 Cash Cash
 outlay. returns.