Arizona republican., 1921-01-09

and relatively permanent agricultural policy for this valley and for the state of Arizona. We need a permanent population of home owning and home loving farmers. To have such pop ulation we need assurance of perma- hence in our social and educational system. You need proper surround ings for your families; and our young people need to have assurance of per manently desirable surroundings in which to live and bring up the chill dren that are to succeed them and you on the land. But I must ask for another opportunity to do this and l must pass on to present restatement of the recommendations of the com mittee l have mentioned. Keep in mind that no man has a right to tell you what to do or what crops to raise on your own farm. I am making sug- gestions for you to consider in making your own plans. You can be trusted to reject the recommendations that are unsound and to accept and modify ac- cording to your own circumstances and needs those that are sound and work able. With these qualifications, let me suggest that every farmer:
 (a) Raise each year approximately the same acreage of each crop adapted to his farm and appropriate in his TO- tation system. The proportion of the various crops will depend on the expe- rience the ability. and the financial re- sources of the farmer himself. It will depend to some degree upon the char acter of the soil. the depth to ground water. and certain other factors which every intelligent farmer will take into account in planning his system of farm a. V who follows this plan will never have as much as half of his land in a single crop. Cotton may fail; alfalfa may fail; and still he will have enough in other crops to keep the farm busi- ness going; whereas if he happens tc have all of his acreage fin a single cror | that is destroyed. by hail, insect pests ! or plant disease, or if his crop Is made unprofitable because of abnormally ! low prices, he will find himself in 2 very difficult financial situation. This situation will be. especially trying, oi even disastrous, if the expenses of growing the crop have to be paid witf borrowed money. Diversification pro. notes safety.
 (b) Raise a reasonable acreage of . special cash crop or of two differen cash crops. The rotation system should be based on the fertility needs and tn, cultural requirements of the major cash crop I may mention a potat, grower of my acquaintance. He il known beyond the limits of his hom
 state as a potato grower: Aut. in fact he follows a system of diversified farm ! ing, devoting only about one-fourtl of his acreage to potatoes. So far a
 acreage is concerned, alfalfa is hi
 big crop. He raises alfalfa to put hi
 ground into condition for potatoes. H raises wheat and oats and barley as part of his rotation, usually sellinl his wheat for cash but his alfalf; and most of his oats and barley t,
 feed the work stock of the farm an, for fattening cattle and sheep. Ther is system to that mans farming; an,
 with him., as with other good farmers
 system means business. It ought no
 to be necessary in this presence to sa, that good farming is good business. |
 this valley the experience of the pas
 few years would suggest that Pim
 cotton should be grown by most c
 the valley farmers as their chief cas
 crop. We need not be discouraged be -I cause of present prices. We can con