Deming graphic. (Deming, N.M.) 1903-1948, 1919-01-21
WHERE IRRIGATION WINS
Salt River Valley Farmers Making
Good Since Assuming Control
of Water Power
Net Profits from Intensive Farming
During Past Year Amount fs
SIS per Acre

Cooperation has brought financial
sncccss 10 The farmers IN tl,e Salt
River Nallev. according to W. u. Elliott
of Phoenix. manager ~ the Salt River
Valley Wafer Users association. 10
prove his assertion. Mr. Elliott quotes
the fact that for the year. November.
1917. To November. 1918. the net rev.
enuc NJ the holders ~ the 20l.NN
acres IN the project was SO per acre.
The hest wear Ia its history.
Mr.. Elicit. who passed through
Deming last week. H. enthusiastic over
the success of the first year Of private
ownership Of the project. which Is now
wholly controlled by the farmers avn.
Ing land therein.
Il think we have good reason a.
be proud Of our success" said Mr..
Elliott. The Salt River VALLEY pro.
ject Is now wholly controlled hS the
Salt River Valley Water Users asso-
citation. made mp of the farmers own
Ing aud leasing the land We took II
over from the government year ago
last November. and have just finished
a survey Of our achievements for the
year. The gross revenue per acre was
sl27.99. and the net $40. The land has
y minimum value Of 1926 per acre AMI
the interest. upkeep and sinking fund
charges are $i.aa per acre. the lowest
of any project In the United States.
In addition to this maintenance we
have installed pumps at cost Of
half million dollars 30 that In the event
Of another dry year such as last we
can augment the supply from the
Roosevelt reservoir by pumping water
into the canals.
We are strictly u cooperative soci.
ETY., with general manager and an
administrative and Legislative board.
with our headquarters Sat Phoenix.
Shares are issued In the ratio Of one
share To each acre. PessimiSfs declar-
ed the government only could make a
project OF this size success. Our first
year of operation. with net profits Of
$40 -ilh acre disproves this x When we
took II over we assumed an indebted.
ness to the government Of S10.5D. .000.
which is an average OF $4I per acre.
The payment OF this Is provided for In
a sinking fund that. together with the
maintenance fund. amounts Ia S1.05 an
acre. our total Of crops for the first
year Of our control of the project ~
valued at S25.OOO.OO0.
We have been enabled Ia do this nv
the system of intensified farming that
prevails among MS. For instance. we
can figure ON six crops a year. 4 farm.
or will plant wheat and when high
enough will pasture IL. getting splen-
did crop 0f forage. This can he done
three times. and after that comes the
wheat crop. When the wheat Is OF the
land is painted to corn. and two crops
for the silO secured. And speaking of
SiloS, ! was laughed AT when | first
suggested building them. One of the
odd timers couldn't see the use Of Il
Silo In country where things were
green the year around. demonstrated
10 him that lots NJ that green stun
went 10 waste. whereby II Il was gath.
cred and put into a silo the farmer
could feed larger herd Of cattle. lie
is convert now.
The same farmer argued thar no
land could he made to pay interest on
a valuation Of over $I5 an acre. Re.
Gently he was In my office and told
hia had cash buyer for his place
AT 500 an acre. He promptly told me
to go to- fHe wouldn't take $225 an
acre for II. intensified farming ls the
answer. II takes lots Of work to get
six crops wear on your land. but Il
pays"