The Arizona sentinel. [volume] (Arizona City [Yuma], Yuma County, A.T. [Ariz.]) 1872-1911, 1911-03-09
TIMELY HINTS
FOR FARMERS.
A Lesson i'm Intensive Farming by
r II. Forbes, Director and
Chemist of Agricultural
Experiment Station
University of Arizona,

january 10, 1877.
Just west OF Yuma, Arizona, in the alluvial
food plain OF the Colorado, lies little farm
OF IL acres which on May l, 1905, was virgin
bottomland, covered with saltwoed, arrow
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 g 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 mean time, cannot afford
10 wait for an orchard to come into bearing,
IL 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 an acre in
size. lrrigating water from the Colorado
Valley i. & /. Canal was obtained in the Gus
tOmary manner and h. l.. Crane, himself
Yuma Valley farmer, undertook the care of
what was nicknamed our play farm"
In size, as well as i'm the intensive character
OF the work planned, this farm" is the OPP
poSite Of the average holdings of this locality.
The prevailing crops of the region are alfalfa,
corn, barley, and forages III general, cOmpara-
lively little attention being given to vege-
tables and fruits. Withal, the cost of dwelling
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 $3.50 an acre annually for ten
years. To meet these and other heavy items
OF expense in connection with the establish
ment of IL farm in this region, intensive crops
OF a more remunerative character than those
now iii vogue, are essential. It was partly,
therefore, as an object lesson bearing upon
these financial aspects Of the general Situa-
tior that this cultural work was planned.
RECLAMATION OF THE GROUND.
The soil OF our tract, warm, sandy loan
we'll ada pied TO gardening operations, was
levelled, ditched and bordered at a contract
price Of Sl7.2O 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 10; lumber for headgates cost S39.57;
n drive well point and pipe, a pitcher-spout
pump and barrel, Sl345; a small lumber
two-room house. including five and one-half
days carpenter hire, 3l5275; and a bruSh-rOof
shelter for horses, about $500. Only skilled
labor employed in dwelling, bordering and
di:ching the ground, and for part construc-
ton or the house, is included in the above
estimates, as the common labor required or
dinariiy 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 a
the average instance must be included
team, wagon. pillow, harrow, haying 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 few hills of waternlelons
and sundry vegetables.
The produce was marketed i'll Yuma with
the exception OF tomatoes, which, for the
largest part, were expressed to Tucson and
BiSbec The following statements for the
various crops are on the basis OF net cash re-
turns TO the small farmer, who with ar aver
age family OF five and a team OF horses is as
summed to do the work required. as explained
below. Items necessitating cash outlay, rs
seed, irrigating water. and crates are deducted
from gross returns. Water costs an average
of 81 cents for irrigation per acre for the crops
grown. The yields in certain instances are
low, Que To the uninproved condition of the
soil, which, like desert soils in geruIal. was
low in nitrogen and organic matter. Some
small salty areas also affected Yields locally.
White Bermuda onions; AZ acres; Seed
planted Sept. 27-Oct. s, 1865. Young onions
transplanted Feb. SO, 1906. Crop maturad
about June !. Yield, 1916 pounds OF dry on
ions. Highest price received 2l<c n pound; |
lowest price received, l8c pound. Entire
crop marketed in Yuma.
Cash Cash