The Arizona sentinel., 1910-06-02
TIMELY HINTS
 FOR FARMERS.
A Lesson in Intensive Farming by R ii. Forbes, Director and Chemist of Agricultural
 Experiment Station
University of Arizona,


 January l5, 1907. Just west of Yuma, Arizona, in the alluvial ! fiood-plain of the Colorado, lies little farm of 72 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 ?, be- gan preparing the ground, and on May 70 the work of leveling, 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 to wait for an orchard to come into bearing, it was planned to plant crops for quick re- turns between the tree-rOwS, thus putting the work on 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 an acre in size. lrrigating water from the Colorado Valley P. & l. Canal was obtained in the GUS tomary manner and E. l.. Crane, himself a Yuma Valley farmer, undertook the care of what was ncknamed 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, conlpara- lively little attention being given to vege- tables and fruits. Withal, the cost of levelllng
 
 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 $50 acre annually for ten years. To meet these and other heavy items of expense in connection with the establish nlenJ of farm in this region intensive crops of more remunerative character than those now in vogue, arc essential. It was partly, therefore, an object lesson bearing upon these financial aspects Of the general SitGa- ton that this cultural work was planned. RECLAMATION OF THE GROUND
 The soil Of our tract, a warm, sandy loam well adapted to gardening operations, was levelled, ditched and bordered at a contract price Of Sl7. 20 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 $60-l0; lumber for headgates cost $3957; drive well point and pipe, a pitcher-spout pump and a barrel, Sl3.45; small lumber two-room house, including five and one half days carpenter hire, Sl52.75; and brush-roof shelter for horses, about $500. Only skilled labor employed in dwelling, 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 be, and in this case was, fur nished by the farmer himself. To bring this ground under cultivation and make it habitable for small farmer and his family, as stated above therefore required cash outlay of about S400OO. In addition, in the average instance must be included team, wagon. blow, 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. Rock yford cantaioupes, Dwarf Cham pion and Burpee'S Quarter Century tomatoes, and alfalfa, besides q few hills of watermelOns and suRdry 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 ar aver age family of five and team of horses is aS- stunned to do the work required as explained below. Items necesstating cash outlay, as seed, irrigaiing water. and crates are deducted from gross returns. Water costs an average of 5o cents for irrigation per for the crops grown. The yields in certain instances are low, cue to the unimproved condition of the soil, which, like desert soils in geEYr;il, was low in nitrogen and organic matter. Some small salty areas also affected yields locally.
 White Berpuda onions; .47 acres; Seed planted Sept. 29-0et. 8, 1905. Young onions transplanted, Feb 5-9, l9oG. Crop matured about June !. Yield, 39l6 pounds of dry on- ions. Highest price received, 2lsc a pound; 1 lowest price received, l.Sc a pound. Entire 1 crop marketed in Yuma.
 Cash Cash