Arizona republican., 1922-04-09
RECORD YIELDS
Of OFLETTUCEFOR
1922 REALIZED
IN THIS VALLEY

An example of the wonderful re-
suits that are obtained in the Salt
River valley through the medium Of
it's temperate climate and fertile soil
is the phenomenal yield gained this
year by the lettuce growers. Lettuce
is a plant which readily responds to
ideal conditions of soil and climate
and the conditions OF its lettuce is
fine indication of the worth of an
agricultural district
There are few districts which can
produce a carload of lettuce from
one acre of land. but this is just what
was obtained by many farmers in the
Salt River valley this season. and in
some cases even more than car
load was gotten from an acre.
Perhaps the outstanding example
of a high rate of production was
furnished by a tenant on the ranch
of e. f. Jack, near Alhambra, where
on a 20-acre tract. % carloads Of
: high- grade lettuce was grown. The
Farmer melted a return of $l0,5S0
after all freight charges and COM
missions had been paid. Deducting
the rental of the land and other
production costs. he made a clear
profit OF more than $500 an acre.
30 Acres, 30 Carloads
Another example OF the splendid
results obtained By careful cuitiva-
tion is on the ranch of Sam Stout.
two miles east Of Glendale. where on
a 30-acre tract. the owner will ag-
gTegate 80 carloads OF lettuce when
the last cutting is made. Mr.. Stout
has gotten excellent returns from
T-&k - T. ffesrr
the largest lettuce f. rms in the val-
ley. At the latest cutting he secured
nine carloads of fully matured let
tuce by going only once over the
Planting on the Stout ranch was
started late. and the first shipments
started on March 20 and viii con-
tinue until about April Is.
Although there were number OF
20 and 30-acre tracts of lettuce
farmed this season, by far the most
popular size has been the five and
10-acre divisions. The smaller tracts
as a rule produced the highest grade
of lettuce as the farmers were able 10
devote greater care TO the smaller
areas.
The average cest per acre for pro-
dueing lettuce this season has been
estimated by Secretary Thompson OF
the Produce Growers association, at
500 an acre One of Mrs. Thompson's s
+ two and one-half acre tracts. which
cost about $3.50 to farm, produced
s1,400 worth Of lettuce.
Timely Season
Not only its low production cost,
but the timeliness of its season
make lettuce growing one of the
most profitable industries in the Salt
River valley. The economical pro-
duetion of lettuce Is promoted by the
fact that it is grown at a time when
the land would ordinarily lie dor
mant. Immediately after the canta-
loupe crop is harvested, the fields are
cultivated and prepared for the let
ztuee II is the usual practice, then,
to plant a leguminous cror after the
lettuce is harvested in order to restore
nitrogen to the soil. and as alfalfa
flourisheg in the Salt River valley,
the alienation OF that crop with
eanta1oupes and lettuce keeps the
land from deteriorating and yet
makes 1t a constant producer.
Although the bulk of the lettuce
crop is produced IN the northside
districts, it grows well all over the
valley and this year was grown IN
all parts of the valley. flourishins
best where the soil was heavy The
northside. this season. produced
about c4s car loads and the south
side is shipping about rs.
About 80 per cent of the lettuce
grown in the valley this season has
been raised by Japanese farmers.
Mahoeanv trees do not grow il