Arizona republican., 1919-05-25


 thresher, which attracted much atten- tion, being capable of cutting ana threshing from 15 to 20 acres per day ! with crew of three
 The Smith Hughes company eXhlo- tied the Fairbanks Morse farm engine | and Racine tires, the Ferguson heeler company had a fleet of OldsmoDle cars and trucks.
 The forenoon demonstration ended just before noon, and the crowd re- paired to the ample shade on the lawn of Foreman Woods house to eat their basket lunches. Plenty of coffee and ice water was provided. and the dinner hughely enjoyed-enjoyed as only a real country fried chicken dinner on the shady side of tree can be enjoyed.
 The Program
 C. J. Wood. the farm foreman, pre- sided. He first introduced President Von kleinsmiG of the state university who read the speech Governor Thomas E. Campbell had prepared for the occasion, but was unable to deliver be- cause of his absence in New York 10 welcome the returning S9th division The speech, in resume, follows: ..
 The Governors Address
 Agriculture in this state for years has held a different position relative to other industries than existed in most communities. The pioneers in other states were brought in by possibilities of agriculture, but in Arizona until 20 years ago farms were usually start ed on account of mining camps sup plying a market. There were few per manent settlements as the greater part of the population was homeless ad- venturous people.
 In Aapache and Navajo, counties. in the Salt River valley, the Gila valley and near Yuma and Tucson and other sections agriculture gradually became established. It is an undoubted fact that agriculture more than any other influence is the force behind the crea- tion of home conditions. In 1887 the swilling canal was established in Salt River valley to use water for irriga tion. The floods and the lack of mar ket for the products made farming discouraging at that time but the building of the transcontinental rail road and the branch roads remedied the trouble to some extent. The popu- lation of Arizona had grown in the de- cade of 1S70SO from 9,65S to 40,400. In this period the farms increased from
  corded 1,297033 acres being farmed of a value of $20.646,263, which was nearly five times the value of the farms in 1880.
 Valleys Reclaimed
 At this period the Salt River valley and the Yuma valley Reclamation proj- ects found their inception. All canals north of the Salt River valley were then united in the Arizona Water com pany. In 1903 this company was merged into the Water Users associa- tion and the various rights were sold to the government Arizona was com ing into it's own agriculturally, though fifth in point of size of the states and territories, in 1900 it ranked among the last in production. But in 1902 the surveys of the Salt River valley project were begun, irrigation by the reclama- tion service began in 1907 and in the meantime, the population increased enormously. In Maricopa county, which was almost wholly agricultural, the population increased 6S per cent. largely on account of the publicity l given the Salt River valley project, while in Apache where there was no great irrigation project and no mines, 1 the increase was only ten per cent. In | 1912 the Roosevelt dam was finished. l In Yuma, the Arizona California prof ect had gotten well under way The last report of the reclamation service 1 issued in 1918 showed $S,972,50S had l been spent and that the project was SC per cent completed. There had been cropped 35,57S acres under irrigation which had produced s3,752 ,669 of value. an average of s105.47.
 | Tvh0 lima hod was absolute necessity for concerted action if the most stupendous success l in Arizona's agricultural history was to ] be achieved. The federal government l had decided that Arizona, particularly the Salt River valley and Yuma val leys, could raise long fibre cotton to advantage, but to assure a market ! there had to be enormous production 1 In 1912 seed was distributed by the department of agriculture. In 1916 there were 7,433 acres planted, al though only $500 acres were harvested In the meantime, growers had devei- oped a long fibre cotton that ranked with the best Egyptian.
 Big Crop Value
 The total value of the crops of 1aiS was s42.267 900 as compared with s5,, 496.S72 in 1909. The state board oi equlization fixed the value of land ana improvements including livestock fol 1918, at s110,593.3S5.91. This was ar increase of $46.SS1, ,11s.e7 over the as. sessed valuation of 1914
 The material value of agriculture tt the state is incalculable. With it's ad vent history shows an increase in pop. ulation. an increase in wealth. But i has brought another value to the stat, -14 s1l- II tend more than any other condition t the stabilizing the population, of thu wealth, to the Americanizing. to Ari zonizing of the present and the futur' citizens of the state, it has brought ant secured home builders.
 With the substantial establishment of farming and stock raising we ar assured of an industry that is ever lasting. We are assured of the clas of men and women who give their bes to their community, and to their state
 God grant that agriculture be givel every advantage, every encouragement in Arizona. The men who till the soi are the bufwark of the country; the. are the actual possessors of thes United States of America.
 Dr. D. W. Working, dean and direc tor of the college of agriculture, wa next introduced, and spoke on the sub ject of the Work of the College o Agriculture" His speech was so en thusiastically received as to leave n doubt but that the farmers of thi valley very greatly value the work be ing done by the college of agriculture its extension department, and it's ex perimental farms.
 c. E. Thompson, agronomist an superintendent of the experiments farm at Mesa, spoke at length on tn work of the experimental farm. s