Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1920-03-20
TRUCK GARDENS
TOO FEW HERE To
SUPPLY DEMAND
Yield of Vegetables and of
Small Fruits This Year Is
40 Per Cent Below 1919
Gays Report from C. of c..

Outside of cotton seed, there has
been sold to date 80 per cent less seed
than was sold last year, and the yield
IN vegetables and small fruits will be
10 per cent below that of 1919, which
was below the production of 1918, the
Fhoenfx chamber of commerce stated
yesterday in the first definite report
on crops for this year.
Those who stand by crops other
than cotton the report says, will get
nigh prices. There will not be enough
of any of these fruits and vegetables
10 supply the local demand. They viii
nave to be shipped in from remote
growing places.
The two crops which will hold their
own will be alfalfa and cantaloupes. A
feature of the small gardening indus
try is that the Japanese have gone
INTO cotton, leaving the gardening
practically in the hands of the Chi
nese- Phoenix was able, prior to the
great lnroadS made by cotton, to sup
ply the mining camps. Then came the
cotton expansion, the war. and in con-
sequence the war garden. The war
garden saved the day for the mining
camps. as Well as for the people living
in the valley with small spaces for
vegetables and small fruits. survey
of the seed distributors and growers
indicates that gardening is practically
a thing of the past, as it has fallen
off to such an extent that there is
practically no time of the year when
local supply is able to meet local de-
mands.
Few War Gardens
Reports from the mining camps
are that there are no war gardens
being made or contemplated this year,
except in Jerome, where the United
Verde Extension mine is pursuing the
same policy this year as it did during
the war and will have a large acreage
for a mining camp. and one which.
1t Is believed, will supply the needs of
it's employees. Last year there We're
large war gardens at Globe, Miami,
Ray, Hayden and other mining towns
conducted by the mines. There were
also school gardens and numerous
backyard gardens last year, which
are missing this year. The result will
be that there will be no local supply
at any point which supplied itself,
wholly or in part, last year.
The cantaloupe crop will be heavy.
The estimate is 5000 acres as against
1914 acres last year. Last year was a
poor year because of summer rains,
but regardless of this handicap, 1880
carloads were shipped. The acreage
this year will be divided about as it
was last year-1549 acres in the Peo-
-Glendale-fair grounds district.
in the Mesa district, and SIS in the
Casa Grande district. Cantaloupe
men are much encouraged and expect
a large crop this year.
"Watermelons have fallen off from
500 acres in 1919 to 200 acres in 1920.
Alfalfa Holds Own
Alfalfa is going good all over the
state. In the Salt River valley it is
about the same as it was last year,
and will hold its own in preserving
the dairy industry in the position it
has held the past three years
Increased interest has been taken
this spring in the growing of peanuts
The crop is estimated at 200 acres
sandy land near the rivers.
Potatoes. which produce abundantly
in the Aqua F'ria bottom and in other
low places of the valley. have fallen
off to 200 acres. OF this area, $50
acres are being grown in the Aqua
-F'ria bottom"