Deming graphic. (Deming, N.M.) 1903-1948, 1913-04-15
INTENSIVE FARMING
An Article Printed In the April Rural
Californian and Written by
N. {. Bemis

~ NNNEh ANhN w ~ FNhNs"A w
figure out that with n crop that only
pays $l5 TO $50 net per acre on land
worth anywhere from $3.50 to $500
per acre, il won't take long to go
broke. Some of MS don't think--and
there's the rub; and then again some
of us do think, and the telling of
those who have thought and worked
too makes good reading, These are
men who are the real, genuine, honest
to goodness boosters that are doing
more for the Salt River Valley in n
minute than some of the patent leath-
err, billed" shirt kind will do in n life
time.
Our Scmi-rangc system of wettlng
u field of alfalfa couple of times,
then feeding II off with u bunch of
steers. and repeat does fairly well
for cheap land and lots of it, but
higher priced land and sub division
into farms Of 10 to 10 acres makes
necessary more intensive methods.
One of the most consistent advo-
Gates Of intensive methods for our
Salt River Valley farms is Peter |.
Edison. president of The Marlcopa
Farmers Institute. Early and late,
IN season and ont, Mr. Edison has ad
yn,atcd better farming methods, with
the end in view of producing bigger
crops on less acreage and nj less
cost, The work he has done In the
farmers institute is a matter vi his
tory. the Midsummer Fair last July
was due more to his efforts than Io
those ot any other one man, and the
benefits of that are too far reaching
~ even guess about
/, was Mr.. Edison'S farming meth
ods at home. where he makes his hN-
ing, that We started 10 tell about.
tbs IS a small farm I've call /, farm
because he farms instead vi ranch
my. When he bought the place .
few Year, ago 70 was ~ bad shape,
and some VI II he has no, coi around
to improve Yet, bu; i bringing 8,
around gradually Ore particular
hc.d tina, contains exactly owe ard d
half acres that was badly SCI with
Johnson grass rs field ever E,,>
to be he plowci y year aso as. Sep
,,mhcr, As preliminary 90 lD.t">-
lve farming the blowing WAS y good
ioh. This Was allowed 90 lie grU.
February following, when % was .hcy-
ouch'y narrowed and ,.aarytvsi
ru'yrrlci and made as 6aJ s- q
flower garden. Twas thta irrigated
and avs soon Is In condition was
planted % Irish potatoes. Now agaG
the intensive methods were brought
INTO play. and ,ae potatoes we're ,U,.
,,a,ei, no, ou,t. twice cr thru,
uluc> hat over AND over. kc,pius ca,
surface la D tut ia>; mulch toud'
''w practically t' ,hg 'im.
Whenever, -syr, MAS . shower u
Wa> oat and cultivated - soon A. ia.
soi, v.aj de- And the yc>v',. wh,
;htrt MAS plenty u moisture dow
where ,h, ,ubcr, wen, forming, o.,
irrigation WAS necessary, and 20,
iG>. wD,,h on top kcp, the sroUv,
v5rw and held the moisture viGh
whtrt /, was needed, and the ,r1'
was made without any irrigation
gathered sud sold tar $50 oG the 10
sal market The >t,G COS; ~, wa'y
.>ye understand ]; Vas 10, oaly ,S>
ya'sy III making the ,rop. Mr.. ty.
>ol Iii all the woyN himself.
Bu, nov the story b, ,a,y half o.,
Ia Jaly the ground Was asa,n pillow,
ago thoroughly puYa0,j. tA,a So"
-:,i, aui when IN Yr1p,r Jo-ju
..5-,cd 90 ,oyv yt co., Hickory y.
-" "".'' w., - ="
"'.''" ' '..' -
wv" H''",'S ,y''.''''> ~ 80, -.
'''.' = ''." So, - n. ., 49,
'''' 90 '' ,