The Arizona sentinel., 1911-02-16
TIMELY HINTS
FOR FARMERS,
A Lesson in Intensive Farming by
Il II. Forbes, Director and
Chemist of Agricultural
Experiment Station
University OF Arizona,


Just west ofYuma, Arizona, in the alluvial
flood plain of the Colorado, lies little farm
of ~ acres which Oh May /, 1865, 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. :.
Department of Agriculture from the Old
World. The Experiment station, May 2. be-
gan preparing the ground, and on May 20 the
work OF dwelling, bordering and irrisating
the tract and the planting of l52 palms, was
completed.
TIE PLAN OF WORK.
Recognizing, however, that farmer with
his living to make meantime, cannot afford
to wait for an orchard to come into bearing,
ii was planned to plant crops for quick re-
turns between the tree-rows, thus putting the
work on a feasible basis from the small farm
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 =. q l. Canal was obtained in the Gus
tonary manner and L. l.. Crane, himself a
Yuma Valley farmer, undertook the care OF
what was nicknamed our play farm"
III size, as well as in 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 in general, compare
lively little attention being given to vega-
tables and fruits. Withal, the cost OF dwelling
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
irTigating system now under construction
will be about $3.50 ar acre annually for ten
years 10 meet these and other heavy items
OF expense in connection with the establish
ment of a farm in this region, Intensive crops
of q more remunerative character than those
now in vogue, are essential. 1t was partly,
therefore, as an object lesson bearing upon
these financial aspects of the general situa-
top that this cultural work was planned.
RECLAMATION OF THE GROUND.
The soil of our tract, warm, sandy loan
well adapted TO gardening operations, was
levelled. dtched and bOrdered at a contract
price OF l7.20 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 S6O.lO; lumber for headgates cost 239.57;
q drive well point and pipe, a ptcheT-spout
pump and barrel, Sl3.i5; small lumber
two-room house, including five and one half
days carpenter hire, Si52.75; and n 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
Ginarily 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 S400.00. In addition, in
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, While bermuda
onions. R0ckytOrd cantaiOupes, Dwarf Cham
pion and Burpee'S Quarter Century tomatoes,
and alfalfa, besd a few hills of watermelonS
and suEdry vegetables.
The produce was marketed in Yuma with
the exception of tomatoes, which, for the
largest part, were expressed to Tucson and
BisJee. The following statements for the
various crops are on the basis OF net cash re-
turns TO the snail farmer, who with an aver
age family of five and team of horses is as
-u,ned TO do the work required. as explained
below. Items necesStatirg cash outlay, as
seed, irrigaiing water. and crates are deducted
from gross returns. Water costs an average
OF 30 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 CEREAL, 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, 1908. Young onions
transplanted, Feb. 5-9 1906 Crop maturcd
about June I. Yield, 1916 pounds Of dry on
ions. Highest price received, 2>ac a pound;
lowest price received, l.8c pound. Entire
crop marketed IN Yuma.
Cash Cash
outlay. returns.