Imperial Valley press., 1920-07-01
IMPERIAL VISITORS INVITES ARIZONA
COTTON GROWERS TO INSPECT VALLEY.
Confined from page two)

nix Thursday, June 26, by large dele
gStcn Of Salt River Valley men, head
ed BY County Agent H. c. Heard, w.
Il. knox, Charles NJ. Morgan of the
Arizona American Egyptian Growers
association. Frank N. Parker, presi-
dent Maricopa County Farm Bureau,
secretary OF Chamber of Commerce.
and escorted to the Chamber of Com
merce and Farm Bureau office, where
everyone registered.
The Imperial Valley folks were thea
taken IN autos to the state experiment
farm near Mesa. Dean d. w. Working
welcomed the visitors and gave briet
history OF Egyptian cotton. The seed,
he said, was furnished by the United
States department of agriculture and
Grown under the supervision Of Prof
NcClatchy on the old experimental
farm on the north side in 1901. In
1902 the United States department of
agriculture started work at Yuma with
Egyptian cotton. Mr. Kearney got the
liHst plant of the present Pima variety
of Egyptian cotton at Sacaton in 1910.
From his plant seeds were obtained
which were planted the following year
and on that the present industry was
founded. The dean said tAe Pima cot
ten will yield more cotton than in
Egypt. but that the latter has
stronger staple.
b. -. Irvine, former president of I'M
perial County Farm Bureau then
spoke, saying that the Imperial Valley
growers were very glad to have the
opportunity of learning from the
more experienced growers of the Salt
River Valley. This was not, he said,
The first delegation. as there had pre-
yiOusly been delegation of water
users. He said that the Indifferent re-
suIts obtained in the Imperial Valley
had led the Southwest Cotton company
to start things there and the prospects
for crop were very good. He hoped
70 be able to return the courtesies OF
the Salt River Valley people.
HOW TO GROW COTTON
Prof. A. S. Hawkins, in charge OF
the division Of agronomy then spoke
saying that the university was con
ductinG four or five sets Of expert
ments with cotton. The fertilizer test,
m which BARNARD manure, complete
commercial faTtilizer, nitrate of soda,
ard phosphoric acid and cotton seed
meal. we're disced into the soil after
the plants were up, showed no results
as yet except that it was evident that
cotton seed meal tended to produce
mere stalks. An experiment a to
best date Of planting in Salt River
Valley in which cotton was planted on
March ] and every H. days thereafter
t. May 80, showed that probably March
; to April Is The best dates for Salt
River Valley, are irrigated Cncc, twice,
three, four, etc, up TO 10 or II times
during the year. The experiment farm
has found that cotton docs best with
two to two and d half acre feet. though
most growers use twice that The cot
ton en- the experiment farm is Just
receiving its first irrigation while
N any Salt River Valley grower are
calling for their fifth irrigation The
test Of early irrigation showed that it
is better to hold water off as long as
possible. Topping experiments will be
carried on, the topping being done
fabout July Is. and about August -.
In the thinning experiment plants in
one border were thiancd TO six inches,
in another to II. in another to 18. Ac-
carate yields will be kept,
The party then examined these eT-
roriment5 and talked with growers,
listened 10 their experiences as well
rs advice from such experts as H. G.
Heard, county agent; Mr. Wood, fore
man experiment farm; -. &. George,
expert on cotton diseases; K. d. Nc
Mickcn and l.. n. Hastings Of the
Southwest Cotton company; Don c.
Mote and x. Landerdale. cotton en-
tomologist; Mr. King Of Urted States
AGRICULTURAL irrigation expert