Arizona republican., 1921-03-31
C0TTONACREAGE HERE THIS YEAR
 SET AT S75,000
Warning Against Planting Perishable Crops Results From Cotton Growers Turning To Other Prod ucts This Season

The cotton acreage in the Salt River valley dropped this year from 1S5.000 acres to 75.000 acres, accord ing to the most reliable reports avail able. That this will result in a great ly increased production of other crops is certainty. A considerable proportion O. these crops is perish able, which means that the markets win be flooded and that consequently low prices will result
 A few weeks ago Dr. Dorman of the United States dairy division met with the dairy committee of the >chamber of commerce and in the course of a general discussion he advised the committee to write to H. M. Cottrell of the Arkansas Profitable farming bureau, board of commerce, Little Rock, Ark. concerning a campaign for more dairy cows in that section. Cottren replied to the letter and mailed some special literature which his bureau is using, and among the matter received from him the follow ing excerpt, which is peculiarly ap plicable to conditions in the Salt Riy CT valley, is taken
 Farmers. planters and groups of farmers are planning to raise early 1 Irish potatoes, cantaloupes. water l melons, truck, sweet potatoes or ber- ries. These men are cotton grow 1 CTS, some with large plantations and others with small farms. who cannot l sell their cotton for one half what it l cost to raise 1t and are determined to 1 raise some other crops to sell. We | urge these men to go slow.
 Consider the danger from over 1 production. Cotton growers from every county in every cotton growing I state, from the western part of Texas | to Virginia, are planning to raise | +h1e- 5 -. | zations are being formed to market l them. There are likely to be a half million cotton growers in the United l States who will raise truck or melons \ or Irish potatoes for market this year for the first time. The cities of the | United States are generally well sup 1 piled with such foods. What price will they pay for the enormous addi-
 tion to this supply that is likely to
 be made? Go slow.
 "Go SIow," the Slogan
 Wages in the cities and towns probably will be lower in 1921 thar in 1920. Merchants, manufacturers and other business men are likely te
 make less money This makes cer-
 tain that the buying ability of fam flies in the towns and cities will b.
 less in 1921 than in 1920. They vii
 either have to buy less perishablt food products or pay lower prices fol what they buy, possibly both. G, slow.
 Corn, cotton, oats and hay are no
 perishable; they can be stored fo weeks and can always be sold a some price. A car of tomatoes is . bad loss if there is glut in tn , market the day it is received. A ca ' of watermelons or cantaloupes tha
 arrives in Kansas City, St. Louis Chicago or any other large receivin
 market on day when there are 50 t
 300 cars more than that marke " wants, not only will not sell. but tn ' growers often have to send money t . pay for the freight. It hardly pays t ! raise fields of radishes or cucumber
 or tomatoes to blow under to enric
 the soil. although this frequently Ina r to be done when too many have bee r raised. A surplus of cotton is bat Y but tomatoes or melons or other per 4 ishable crops that cannot be sold ar :. worse. Go slow.
 There are some communities Arkansas that have made none from truck crops or melons. Ther are other communities that ma { make money by raising these crop / Tor the first time in 1921, but the ? are few. No man or group of me T. should raise these crops this year fc the first time without consulting dis I ', interested experts; being sure ( y their markets before even the seed
 bought or the land prepared, an
 can afford to lose the crop if it
 unmarketab ble because Of an enol 1 nous overproduction. Go slow. l "The safest plan for most cottc
 growers is to raise all the food an
 feed they need, planting enough
 have plenty if the yield should
 low; raise in a small way for sa
 corn. hay, oats or some other cro
 that can be stored, and plant a mot
 crate acreage of cotton.''