Deming graphic., 1921-07-26
No FoOL-PROOF CROP

Farmers OF the MlmhreS Valley
are earning hat there is no fool
proof crop, nor, for that matter, q
crop exempt from the destructive
effects of plant pests and unlavOr.
bic wea,chI conditions.
Not all p'aris, however, are af-
fected by the came mistakes ir cul-
turc. nor are they subject 10 the
same diseases and weather condii-
ions.
/ Everyone knows that a system of
planting and cultivation fa.nrabls
to one crop may be absolute., de-
Istructive To another.
In the light of past experience
farmers are asking themselves what
they ought 10 grow and how they
ough, Ia grow il. not as individuals,
but as cooperative community in
order TO sell to advantage that which
is grCwn.
Too long the cultiyators Of The
sell have listened TO the siren song
of the fellow with a fool-proof crop.
His dope" sounds good and evciy-
body falls for it" with the almost
invariable result that the season :
work goes for naught. No matter
how we'll a crop is suited TO condi-
tions, or how cheaply il can be pro-
duced, II must be sold and sold at q
profit very soon after il is harvest
ed. TIE selling organization must
function or there is no profit TO
be made.
From this il follows that crops
must be standardized and sold thru
an association. That is, the farmers
of this section must raise about the
same things in order 10 get guam
tity production and the selling or
ganizatiOn must have its markets in
hand.
The Mimbres Valley wanted a
creamery. and without enough cows
10 support it, fact that was well
known at the time. Not only did
the creamery cause loss to those
who had furnished the capital for
III hut il ment that the farmers had
10 begin all over again in the way
of organization.
The Mimbres Valley wanted a cot
ton gin; it got one, but there was
little cotton.
The Mimbres Valley wanted can
merry, but the patrons depended up
on to grow the tomatoes failed to
do So and the cannery closed its
doors.
As result of all this misdirected
effort the farmers are again ION
their own" practically with no crop
raised in sufficient quantity to mar
ket and without an organization
with the machinery for marketing.
II is a pretty well accepted fact
that the Mimbres Valley, or other
irrigated district, il adapted only To
some form of intensive cultivation.
Remote from markets, its products
should he in some concentrated
form-produce Of small bulk, ready
market and high value.
The tomOto crop would nave an
swere the question very nicely. The
tomato growing got on very we'll
until the blight struck the plants
as though tomatoes were exempt
from the common hazard OF all
crops. The blight put the cannery
out Of business, because some fellow
came along with a fool-proof crop
which no pest would dare to molest.
Instead Of giving battle to the blight
that took no brains TO raise and
and putting il to flight a very large
number of farmers gave up in dis
gust only to 60 from The frying pan
into the fire. Thus il was that a
crop well suited 10 The region was
abandoned while the farmers went
after the new affinity
The cost Of water is not the fac
tor here. as can be readily ascer-
tanned by comparing the cost of the
water here and in other irrigated
sections of the southwest Other
sections re prOspering with just as
high water cost because they raise
something 10 sell and sell II at a 1
profit Recent local efforts at farm
orgniZatlon took sOcialisilc turn
NilutI duNiNt lllul was lhlHS ulutu'
it was called, but a sort
Of cooperation that is thoroughly
discrediled and found to be unwOrk- |
able in practice. This experiment
ms caused loss and disappointment. !
The kind of cooperation that couns
never has been given a fair trial be-
cause il offers no royal road to i'm
mediate riches. However, other ir-
rigated sections Of the southwest |
offer models Of such cooperation |
that is working-unity Of product
ion and collective selling. The MINI
hres Valley cannot succeed as q |
farming community until its farmers
act together on the best advice TIT |
has made other sections successful. |