The Chesterfield advertiser. [volume] (Chesterfield C.H., S.C.) 1884-1978, 1921-08-04
ARIZONA ABANDoNs COTTON

Arizona has had q try at cotton
farming during the period from 1912
to 1921. The cotton growers Of that
far-western state, many Of whom
came from the cotton states Of the
South, demonstrated beyond all
doubt that the desert, now provided
with ample water for irrigation, in
quite as we'll suited to the produc-
tion of the white staple as any other
part of the United States.
However, cotton is not to be an
Arizona product in the futurs--ex-
cept, perhaps, in the case Of few
large manufacturing concerns, which
will grow long staple for their own
use. Arizona has found the cotton
market too uncertain to warrant a
continuation of cotton farming. SO
she has retured to her previous pur-
suits.
Cotton came to Arizona in 1912.
| 1t departed from that state in 1920.
| Cotton has been spoken of as the
roulette and faro crop Of the South
west ;"the crop that led the Salt Riv-
er Valley up an easy grade to the
very top of the financial foothills and
then kicked it over the edge on the
steep side.
Cotton of the long-staple Egyp-
tian variety, used SO largely in the
making of airplane cloth and tire
fabric, after being developed on the
Sacaton Indian Reservation by the
United States Agricultural Depart
ment, was commercially grown In the
Salt River Valley in 1919. At that
time Alfalfa, dairy products and cam
talopes were the commercial MAIN
stays of that district. -.
The first years planting did not
exceed 400 acres, but over 1000
acres were planted the next year and
$4,000 in 1914, but prices dropped on
account of the war and only $500
acres were planted in 1915. In 1916
long-staple climbed to 43 cents
pound. AS a result the great :'cotton
jag" of the of the southwest began
its delerious course.
By 1919 the finest grade OF long.
staple brought $1.25, and, quite nat
urally, caused q stampede for addi-
tional irrigated lands and the almost
complete humiliation Of alfalfa and
grain growing, beef and dairy busi-
ness as well as the other forms Of ag-
riculture which had proved very pro-
fitable, but which failed to offer the
immediate get-rich-quick returns Of
high-price cotton.
| Meantime labor now short and had
to be importd. Mexicans, Hindus, ne,
groes and share-croppers, the latter
two classes from the south-eastsrn
states, were brought to the new cot
ton belt by thousands. For the hrrt
time the Arizona ranchmsn saw chill
dren kept from school and worked In
the fields.
| Four-hundred thousand acres were
planted to long-staple cotton In 1920
fin the ntire southwest, probably
$4,000 in the state Of Arizona, and
the cost of production had risen to
70 cents pound. Much OF the in.
creased cost was due to the fact that
alfalfa and grain had to be bought
for the mules; fuel for tractors was
high, and the imported labor cost
more and accomplished less than the
home grown article. However, cost
OF production received little consid-
Grafton as 1t was confidentislly .ex-
pected that the crop would bring
$1.50 pound.
Yet today practically all Of last
years cotton remains In the gins and
warehouses Of the state, unstable at
35 cents.
But these Arizona farmers are not
giving way to despair. Instead they
have set about restoring their country
to the condition it was In previous
to the advent Of cotton; to replant-
ing $4,000 acres in alfalfa and grain.
and to restoring $4,000 thorough
bred dairy cows to the fields. Most
OF the Mexicans, Hindus and negroes
have been returned to the lands from
whence they came.
"Men who can see beyond their
noses are glad that this cotton craze
has ended in collapse said banker
who had steadfastly refused to r.
nance cotton gambling. During the
last few years It has been curse 70
the irrigated valleys Of the south.
west. What we need and want Is 40
acre farms titled By the owners Cot
ton brought farms Of three hundred.