1921 Narrative Report Maricopa County

Item Type text; Report

Authors University of Arizona. Agricultural Extension Service. CountyAgricultural Agents.; Heard, H. C.

Publisher University of Arizona

Rights Public Domain: This material has been identified as being free ofknown restrictions under U.S. copyright law, including all relatedand neighboring rights.

Download date 20/02/2021 09:14:49

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Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/10150/301949

IABBAtIVE REPORT OF COUNT!' AGlUCtJLTURAL AGEtrr,

l!arJc opa Count)'. Arlaona..

D.c••ber 1. 1920 to JloTember 30, 1921.

Table of a_tellt••

Page 1 The Agr1eultural Situat1oB651.8 and development.Charaoter of populatien.

a FIU"I8' areas and farming SY8tems.3 Fruit dey.lo�llts.4 Dairying.

c.ttoa.5 General orops.S IUs Bureau Deyelopaent6 The farm Bureau law, Program of work.

Relationship to other orga..rd.latlons.Reorganization of the local farm Bureau.

I 8.11.Alkali troubles.

9 IlTiga:U.on work.rertUitr II"oblems.

10 CropsCotton.

11 Bay.height rates.

12 Gra1II.Citrus work.

13 Grapes.AJrlc�t8 aDd plums.

13 U:nstockPoultry institute.

14 Dairying_1$ SwiBa work.15 XlaeellaDeous.

J'anaen t Inst.ltute-e.Fairs.

Pboea1x 1nc1_trial Exposition.16 '!be t.h1 Fair.

Pure Seed work.16 .l••1ataat• ._.

1'1 outlook.

MARICOPA COUNTY J ARIZONA

DEC. I, 1920 TO NOV. 30, 1921

HE AGRICULTURAL SITUATICN

Arizona, the fourth state of the union in point of size, contains

yor 100,000 square miles, divided into 14 counties. �rieopa county is of

edium size, compared with other counties of the State, containing numerous

ountain ranges which surround seemingly limitless areas of flat desert mesa

and cut by several rivers which in dry seasons are practically without water

nd in flood make an ocean look pacific in comparison. ',That looks on the map

o be a thin streak of green is in reality about 325,000 acres of irrigated

and running in an irreguiar line from east to west aeross the middle line

f the county, 85 miles long from tip to tip with an extreme width ot not to

xceed 15 miles. Uarvelously lertile soil, hundreds of thousands of acres

1'1 extent, lacks only water to increase the productivity of this region to

:any time s its pre sent total. In fact J the sale or bonds will start construct­

on OB 200,000 acres ot neW land within the county with 80.000 now under water

raiting tor farmers. at the time this new 200,000 acres is growing crops

lumerous other projects wiil be at least outlined, so that the future pro­

uctiol1 promises to far outshine the present.

Many look on �icopa county as a land or promise, which it is, but

,t is also a land of accomplishment. Its soil has been yielding ngricultural

.rnduee since shortly after the Civil War. The construction of the Roosevelt

,� did not rr�rk the birth of agriculture in the county but an �pcrtant step

The educa.tional duties of the county agent do not consist in tcachine folks

the ABO.'. of farmincr but 1·n} 1 .

u 1e p1ng collect and disseminate agriculturalinformation ot the highest sort. a�d he is fortunate in being able to obtain

information from the farmers as well as scatter it.

The best known agricultur�l area in the county is the Salt River

project, comprising about 200,000 acres, including the bulk of the older farm­

ing lands ot the county. This project owns the Roosevelt rcslrvoir. From

the irrigation llorks of the Salt River project water is supplied to the Lehi

and Tempa districts, whose lands hold some of the oldest water righ�s on the

Salt River. The. Buckeye Talley is a narrow strip along the Gila River west of

Phoenix and has been farmed many years by use of water tnken from the Gila

RiTer by rather temporary diversion dams. This valley, with the Arlington

project. farther west comprises about 60,000 acres of land. Some six years

ago the Goodyear lire and l\ubber company organized a subsidiary corporatiQn

called the Southwest·Cotton Company which acquired about 35,000 �cres of

desert lands on which it was feasible to pump irrigation water and the major­

ity of these lands haa been put under cultivation- The stimulus ot war prices

also brou�ht into cultivation several thousand acres of lands irri�uted by

privately �wned pumping plants. A permanent typo of diversion dam constructed

below Arlington a.cross the Gila River is nl_Vl in shape to supply vIator for wliat

is known as the Gillespie project of which as much as 80,000 acr-es is likely

to be irrigated as soon as rar�ers buy a�d improve the huldings. A possible

4000 acre development, also near Gila Bend, is owned by NOM1cgian capitalists J

incorporated as tta Gila Land and Cattle Company. ot this tract 1000 acres

are already farmed by gravity and pumped water from the Gila. River.

has been granted by the Secretary of the Interior and other intorcsted parties

Perrni�sion

_..1..,,: _I' �1"",,_

nd the Auxiliary Eastern �anal froject c�rr.frising 40,000 acres, parallelinghe eastern edge of the Salt River project. Therefore a half Eilllon acras of

armed land is virtually in sight.

The subtropical climate with a uSl�l frost free period from early

arch to late November renders possible the use of the land for the full twelve

cnths of each year. By virtue of this long �rowing season, the nearly-perfect

rrigation system, and the fertility of the soil the aericulturnl·productio�

r J.:aricopa county lands is enough more than twice that of the st..lne area of

orn belt lands to pay tte added expense of irrigation. This Ir.akes actual

and values greater and increases the desirability of res':dence in !�aricopa

ounty but oakes the wurk of the county a�ent doubly difficult for there is no

laek tir.:e for follow up work. There are no real winter months to spend in

lanning meetings, 1lhicb are half social and hal! business J and extended COB-

erences with numerous parties v:i thout SOI:lS urgent need presents itsslf.

armer-s spend the entire year farming and rirhtly resent spending timo talking

fer things not of definite i�port.

The kind and variety of crops grown add another problem which needs

[planation. The early developrrents in the county were largely for the purp.se

f feeding horses. bee! cattle and sheep, Further settler��ent called for the

atroduction of grain farming. Fruit was put in on a rather extensive scale in

3.rts of the valley about 30 years ago. Figs, grayes, F�aches. apricots, plums,

ears arid almonds mostly went out of style because at the time the marketing

ysterr£ were imcompetent to all�e profitable growth of perishable projucts which

ad to be shipped as far as was necessary to reach the markets. Too,the

rrigation system of that tine was simple �iv�rsion of Galt River waters by means

t I t or��y d�-Q and water shorta�es during certain �eanons ofmore or ess cmp � � 0

Twelve or fifteen years ago the development of a dair.y industry was

started which reached its zenith about 1917. Labor shortage. low returns and

relatively high returns from Pima cotton caused most of the dairy cattle to be

sold out in 1918. 1919 and 1920. Pima cotton requires a relatively large cash

outlay for production so that the depression beginnin� in 1920 hit A�rieopa

County very hard. It has forcefully indicated the necessity or a new oropping� o."u,.�·�

system ,tor the Salt River Valley, more intensive, and taking �r a�ge

tr:t' certain natural advanbage s which cannot be overlooked.

This n� shaping of local agriculture should be evolutionary rather

than revolutionary and in it is the main work of the County A�ent for soma years

to come. For sometime past other work has been made L�cidental to this. The

program involves inorease of the citrus acreage to cover all lands in the Coun-

ty where citrus can be safely grat'm. Arizona 1l'�e.shington 'navel oranges are ot

exoeptional quality and are from ten days to two weeks earlier than ranges or

any other belt in the southwest. Arizona grapefruit is of the finest quality

obtainable and is so much earlier than other southwestern grapefruit that it

can largely be marketed in other grapefruit produein� areas before their own

grapefruit is ready for con�ption. Salt River Valley plums and apricots do

very well indeed and are ten days earlier than simila.r fruit in other parts of

the southwest. Arizona grapes ma.y be marketed ten days to three weeks earlier

than grapes elsgwhere in the southwest and a vital problem is securin6 establish­

ment or these industries in all parts of the County particularly suited to their

culture.

The present erop of cotton covers about 70,000 acres. while the

biggest crop yet grawn included 185,000 acres within the County. There is room

for �d there should be grown from 100.000 to 125,000 aores of cotton in the

strain end to help keep th� cotton ecreage on suitable soils.

Dairying presents serious problems. The past summer when every­

thing possible should have been done to insure the financial success ot

local dairymen and nhen those starting in the business should have receiv-

ed the utmost encouragement. the local wholesale price of butter was six or

seven cents less than the wholesale price ot California butter sold on the

local market. There seemed to be no reason for this. Furthermore the presen�

system of financing the purchase of dairy cattle is throu�h creamerie� which

is fundamentally on the wrong basis. Such handicaps, coupled with the rela­

tive attractiveness or other lines of agriculture rend�r questionable re­

establishment of the dairy industry on its previous large scale.

Raising grain and alfalfa on any but the most unfortunately sit­

uated lands, except where such crops may be incidental to another main type

or farming is a losin� business and to be supplanted with something better.

Eelpin� to properly shape the agriculture of the future is a matter of

tremendous importance to the Farm Bureau and all other public agencies in-

tarested.

'ARI.! BUREAU DEVELOPMEUT.

The evolut ion of t he Farm Burea.u in Maricopa County has been in­

teresting and not unlike the develo�nt elsewhere. The first local County

Agen.t came in 1915. Since that tL"IlG t here has been about e. year with no

County A�ent in the County. Ha&mlhile it has taken sometime for folks to

get used to a County Agent and to become accustomed to using him. It also

took some time to develop the original Farm Bureau idea, where the organiza­

tion was primarily for County A�ent purposes. Furthermore, it has been

noted in three previous annual reports of the present Agent, Maricopa Coun-

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ture of the State of l'rizona either through or in addf tion to a formal

organization of' the original Fa.rm Bureau type. Furthermore, termers had

not gone through the stage in evolution of being ready to support a County

Agents' organization. Hence, and organization called a Farm Bureau arose

in true Phoenix style from the ashes of the Arizona Farm Improve�ent Asso­

ciation but was not in itself or any great power or importance. The Farm

Bureau thus tormed was organized in the spring ot 1918. end was always more

or less comatose because no one ha.d time to keep it healthy. During �heexistenoe ot this organization the County �gent worked through it as much

as possible but in a grent ronny cases worked on the Farm Bureau plan in­

formally applied.

The rapid growth tn power of' the Farm Bureeu came when it rather

naturally assumed £unctions of a business nature in addition to its educa­

tional purposes. The reorganization of the Arizona Farm Bureaus, beginning

with �arieopa County, was on its later basis; that is, as both a business

and eduoational organization. The period of depression with its inequalities

prepared the popular mind for the Farm Bureau idea, and the present organiza­

tion is strictly a farmers t bureau, which has as one of' its main functions.

betterment ot farming conditions through utilization of the educational

facilities offered by agricultural extension work.

A law passed by the state L�gislature in the sprin� of 1921 and

effective in early summer gave to the Farm Bureaus joint responsibilities

with the Extension Service for administering the work ot county extension

agents. The Uaricopa county Farm Bureau willingly assumed this vrork. which

places the relationship of the County Agent to the Farm Bureau rather dif­

ferentlv from that elsewhere. Furthermore, the type of organization in Mo.r_

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to the usual county organization. The county is at present divided into

eighteen districts, largely on school district lines, each of which has a

community organization; a unit not unlike the usual County Farm Bureau.

The acting executives of the community organizations comprise the County

Farm Bureau Directors. Hence, in effect, the County Organization is the

Board of Directors and wit h them all matters pertinent to extension work

can be arranged. The system is most effective and satisfactory. A Field

Secretary is now employed to look after strictly Farm Bureau matters, such

as membership, publicity, etc.

The progr�� ot the County A�ent is decided with the County Direotors

and where desirable committees mny be appointed either from the directorate

or elsewhere.

The rela.tionship of the FBrm Bureau to other organizations is very

similar to tt�t els�here. It does not undertake marketin� directly but

rather fosters other org�nizations for such specific purposes. For example,

the Farm Bur-eau is now orgnnizin� a Dairy Association. whose functions will

probably include marketing. It has also formed temporary hay Rnd grnin

grm.�rs' associations v:hich function independently. It will probably orga.nize

permanent associations of this character 'when opportune time arises. The

local Farm Bureau he.s assumed a broad and constructive policy toward such

Or�anlzations as Chambers of Commerce, and while. formally, it is unrelatedo ,

to any other organization, it holds itself ready to c ooperabe vri th any agency

when such oooperation is in the best interests of the County.

The reorganization of the Uarieopa. County Farm Bureau occupied

the latter part or February, �nrch and the first part of �pril. A committee

...... _�. "t" .! � ..I.. __ �_ ...... 1...._ ...__ ... __

Farm Bureau Federation and the County �A.gent. The campaign was managed

by �a$Srs. Bronn and Cummings. The fs.cilities of the County I�.gent· s

office were turned over to the Committee_ the County A�ent acting as pub-

lioity agent for the drive. The Coun�J Agent vms present at many of the

-meetings ��d muda numerous talks C8-llir� attention to the local applica­

tion or the organization. This work took all the time of t he Agent for

about six weeks with the exoeption ryf some time neoessarily devoted to rou­

tine matters. Since the drive numerous l"leetings ha.ve been attended and

speeches made on sUQjeots pertinent to Farm Buroau work. while a great

bulk of publicity matter hns been placed in appropriate channels prior to

the installation of the field secret�ry.

As a result of the reorganization the Farm Bureau n� has a mem­

bership of about 1500 farmers. whose me�berships are on a ten dollar basis.

�ny memberships have been secured by notes, which the organization has not

sean fit to sell. with a resultant shortnge of funds in the treasury. The

work has been effective, however, and much bigger things e-re planned as the

means for puttinb them over are found.

SOILS

Not a gre�t deal of soils �ork has been done, not so muoh because

of lack of need as lack of ti.'"1e. A �ree.t number of individuals have bean ad­

visod relative to their espeoie.1 pr ob'Iene and some community work has been

started. :ha services of a soils �pecialist from the Universi�J was secur­

ed for one cOmTInlllity for a two-day visit. The soil of this distriot is some­

wha.t different from the general run of soils in the County. After personal

visits had been oads the soil specialist delivered an address to a ro�ss meet­

ing in the co;tm'..unity ocver mg points he had discovered in his visits.

Salt uiver B!lley lands ��VG some acreage troubled vnth alkRli.

is seldom �n individual matter. In the last few years the Salt River

water Users' Assooiation has installed a series of large pumps in t.he

high "tIInter table areas of the project so that water logging is practically

solved. To re.-ntove th.e a.ccumulRtion of' alkali. however is e.nother question •

.!ccordin�ly some demonstration work has been done L� one of' the better

alkali belts of the valley and some baC! spots leached of excessive alkali.

This has takon place in black lilka.H soil of a. texture most fa:vornble for

leaching. The black alkali spots ou finer and tighter lands have not yet

been touched but plans are bein� ��de to enlist the aid of several specialists

from the University and to undertake exp0riments a�d demonstrations to re-

claim largor e_re�s loce:."�ted. nt 'Vp'..rious points of the Valley. 1�umerous in-

diTiduals have been edvised regnrdin� tre�tment ot soils.

Litt19 is left to bA'done in inst�11aticn of irrigation-systems

in the older P'll'·ts of the Crmnty. iIUJ"I..erous indivi.dueLs have been helped

to level lands b�tter and a ooncrete �i?a system �s map?Sd for one fnrm

which was partioul�rly �ifficult to irrigate.

So11 fertility in ll:f.l..rieopa �o1Jnt;1 is at present a problem ot lit­

tl" mom:3nt. Previ{\lls dem.onstrations h�.7� shown th9 fallocy of us lng ordinary

ct)ll'.mercial fertilizers on �en'3ral f'a� Lands and ewner s of: such fa.rms are

merely advised to Fractice �very r9a30n�ble means to incorporate organio

matter. With citrus lands. and to a ama.LI extent other il"uit areas, it is

q��stionabl� whether economic returns oan be secured rro� oOfimercial fertiliz·

ers. Henee� a series of rather thorough demonstrations in this regard has

been plannart for next year. The wlua of cover cropping is unquestioned in

orchards but demonstration of the best crops to usa is not complete. Aooord-

-10-

the ba.sis for demonstrc.tio"'lS nexb -re�'"• �J -4. Cover crops now used in citrus

�rovas are quite 91Tactive , but improveMent should be made in me+hods of

handlin� such crops and it is planned t.o devote what time is necessary

in future to propor Iy so lve -�""hl· s r'_t.t-4-ver. fJ .., ...� Discussion 0 cover cropping

has been U...S subject of cons iderHble pu'Jlicity "'t!ritten or placed by the

County I�,gant.

The use of ��lphu� on �lf�lfn has attracted considerable atten­

tion. In tho absence or evidence of Loc sI value bwo demonstrntions are

nOT under way to SI.!(TV' possible ef.f3c.l;:3 of sulphur as a fertilizer. Hesults

from these denonsbrs+Lona w"ill ?roo�1:11y not be conclusive for nearly a year.

CROPS.

L� 1920 about 185,000 acres of lana in the County vrora planted to

PL!1l,:'\ cot+on , The denornlization of mr1�ets� coupled with tbB high costs of

production ce�3ed � shift in 1921 so that at the present time the cotton

acreage is r-educed to abouf 70,000. For various ret1.S0ns comparatively lit-

tIe cot�on work rAS bean done this year.- Numerous rersonnl calls have been

answered and advf.ce '";ive:1 regardin� irrigation, cultiv�1.tion, planting" in-

J.. t t J.. .&0 the deecr pes s and d Laes se a , �'-ork lookin� toward perpe uar i.on OJ.. prue sea

supply ,dll be reported el aewhor-e , The supply of Pima cotton in the hands

of gr o.ror s from both the 1920 and 1921 crops is still relr"tively Large and

s�ales �re very SlO7. Furthermore every general farm crop of the 1921 season

with the possible exception of cotton has been sold at lass than the cost

f ons;ble for several r�rmorso producbLon , The rasultarrt unrest has been reap •

� 0, Q

'Wrultin� -:�O shi.:-t to nnother type of cotton less suited to this r6�ion and

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peculiar advanta.�"s by virtue of our one v8.riot.y system, pa.rtinl destruc-

'Hon of our pre 3t-Jnt i7101lSt ith. ry 'l-T H conaoquerrh sor f.oua ocononf o los:] Al"\d the

blOVT to our nrogeni; coon.!!lrat· .

-Jo.• ...

0 �"J.ve mr�" Jv�.ng ar-rangenerrbs , Several eon.feren.ce!

concerritng the s1tun+. ion ht'vl) been hald, publioity p l.aced , addr-es se s Made

.

�l· +'.an pun 10 1:11'3<3 ,1.n�s and :::eraonttl +a lks enbor-od it'.to by the County R2:ent to

attempt to counteract the dGsire to chJngo.

As e Labance "RUS r ende red in -t�e f'ormab Lon of 8. tempora,r�t hay 17W.r-

hay .me.rk8"'::·i.n� on R l!tr�G scaIe In thi s rOimty. �he sti},te rJorporr::tion Con-

hearin� of the c�ses of the hay �r�rs �1d railroads. at which time matter

we.s submitted 't:y t.he rOllnty /l �e!'l+'. Sorreti�..' h.ter the Corporation Commis-

sion !I.E1red the Coun+.y f· :rent to atten.rt So li�8.rin:; l)efore the Interstate Com-

modi.ties, includtn:: hay, p.ffect,in� t'bif; re�ion. P�rmiasi.on vrV.$ asked in

order to pr-asenb testimony on production �o�ts, but the states Relations

S€'rnco held th�� i � w�'.\B be unwise for t.he County J\"r43nt to appear p�rson­

�lly t".t the henrlnc;s. r)�posi+Zions '1!1ere r.l�d� for the usa of the Corpore.tion

Corr�ilission. ho"never, and some r�lief' vms obttdn.ed e s a r�sult of the 1.t.6hring.

l:Jhila com::.nt�a.tively little tir.l� WM devoted to this nw.tter it is believ6d

to h�V9 been ono of t hA most important pie�e! of work et1.t�;rq;ed in.

bl 1 L. 1• �!l.n s""'ed b' d prapf"rnt1on.. saodln!r,__ .. seed selection,

a e p�rsnn� u9_? T18.S �l.van _ <:7 � CI t� .,".

Consid.ar-

irri�9.tion, inoculption and handlin� of alf'o.lfa.

�'h •• ,.. Jot I> d"'.. ';ly n"""""'O'!'O... ftperof'Phoenb:,s{;E1gede.. con-

.L I� , ....r1 zona. '_Tn '1,0 v 's, C� r.... "7"�.

__ • __ ••__ ..... c"IJII'Ot4r.Ati +'0 the �row'ers or the

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Bureau as ona of three jud�es of the alfalfa fields ent.ered. This in­

volved inspeotion of about sGvent.y fields and took a weeks time. The

work W'RS considered. valu�ble because it offered a more accur8.te method of

preedum distribution the..n is ordi.1n.rily mat with in fairs.

Some help vras given the Farm Bureau in orgDll.ize.tion of e.. grdn

:m}lrketiIlg �.ssooh.tion of a temporary nabur e , l;..ru1.Y growers were advised re­

g�rdin'!; treatment of seed. 5e�d bod preparation. seeding Md irrigation

of grain.

The chief fruit �ork has been ryith the citrus �rauersf �ssooia-C'")

tim. Tho second cnnua'I citrus gTa,T;;rs' institute was he Id in early danu-

�'.ry, lJ20. 1._ t-,'(O day progra,n n�s filled with excellent ta.lks by va.rious

e.uthoritles Hhile 8. mr.rket Ing discussion led by �r. 1:ciJe.bb, of the Bureau

of �arkets. wcs espcciully featured. ;� attendanoe of rorty-rive to fifty

were present at e�ch sessi�l. There are about 65 graKars in the county.

!-.t the L'lstituta a continuation or previously tried gopher control methods

�os initiated. �ndor t�is plan the 3ureau of Biolo5icul Survey, under D. A.

Gilohrist, furnished poison nnd supervision while the citrus gr�ars hirad

a rcsn to Jo the poisonin:?;, cbar g lng each grO".·rer 'Wi�h the time the lTIP...l1 spent

on his place. TIl') entire aereage ':!l3.S :?OiSOllOd hrice and t�1e feW' remaining

e;Ol1ners -rere trap['od. Three months work wa.s done in this zrrgnner. It 'WaS

sur.fici'�'!'ltl�' successful th.'lt a !l'Y.?' campaLgn to clean up go?hers comin� ill

in thl'3 t:1eantlme vras begun on tha S€U!l9 basis in Labe iSl'ovember � 1921. and a.

J.. s 1 L d Ten+,bt-t·ve pla.."'ls havesimi1:l.r campaLgn to olean up nn�s is com;amp e:ua • _,A. �

-

been made f.o� the third annual oHrus grovlers institute to be b.aid in Janu­

ary, 1922. ?re"'lious mention ha s been made of contempla.ted soil work, and

ins t�11€�·I:;ion of � systeul of pedi,€;ree1 � selection has been planned and

-13-

be spent in oitrus work next year for there is little doubt of the va.lue.

ot the industry to this vicinity.

The hir.h price for gra.pes for the past feW' years, coupLed ,lith

the adaptability of t.hl3 region to production of very ot�.rly,high quo.lity table

br-ape s , has stimubted the grape business loc s.lly to a danger ous point. Con­

siderable individual ",ork has been done in this line end organized work start-

ed. Loeal �.J;fJ .1 S and prdpective ,�rape grcwrers have formed �tJl •a

�. II s' assooiation to which a plan for a grape growers institute, modeLed

largely after the citrus institute abov� described was presented upon their

expression of desire to undertake the matter, a committee was appointed to

work with the Coun� A�ent to make the affair a suocess. Addresses wore given

along lines ot starting a vineyard� pruning, staking. trellising, cultivation,

irrigs.tion, insect pests" diseases. fertilization and market�ng. F",atu't"6 ad-

dresses ware by Fred Ho�rd of the Associated Rai$in Grov�rs of. �T.�sno, Califer-

nia. and Professor? J. Crider, Horticulturist of th3 University of r,rhona.

The two days sessions were held in vineyards and attendance varied rro� forty­

five on a disae;reeable day to 125. There were two ideas behind tho institute;

to give out most accurabe information as to how to htmdle grapes and 1;Q attempt

to impress grape growers with the desirability of conservative pla.nning.

The earliness. quality, quick maturity, �d yield of apricots and

plums in this region make their culture very lucrative when they are ,properly

marketod. It is desirable to increase produc�io� of these fruits and oonsid­

erable work has been done toward this end. It has nob seemed feasiblo to

� tattempt this work thus far other than on an individual bacs, excepb where he

matter has been presented in addresses at public meetings.

LIVESTOCI.

-14- /iI

Where possible poultry lectures have been given, dealtngwtth better _ethods.

),of feeding, housin�, selection, etc. Early in the year a two day pou�tryschool was staged in Glendale. A committee of' Glendale folks was in kocalcharge, the chief speakers bein� R. B. Thompson, Nat E. Luce, E. Drap�r,e�d c. H. �estfall. There was same disappointment at the size of t�crowd, only 20 being present at each session. Numerous meetin�8 teai'-ed<:I l�u.4poultry talks in the spring and throu�hout the year, many sucoessrui iCUlllngdemonstrations were hald at various parts of' the valley. The intere�t awak­

ened in these meetings has been very encouraging and the demand tor ,oultrywork is much keener than heretofore. 1\

I

The dairy situa.tion is still unsatisfactory. }.rany cattle �oldI

from the County in 1919 and 1920 w3r9 shipped out of the state subjee� to.1

Ii

the �uberculin test. Sometimes o�ers allowed the best cows to be e�led1\

\from hards and the foundation stook le:f't in the County contains many �e-

\

sirable individuals. Shortage of money has prevented large purehasest:;of'i

Inew cattle and it is unlikely that the dairy industr,y will be quicklyre-

{\buHt. Plens were rormule.ted early in the year for financing ca.ttle ,� a

better basis. Various interests were represented in the plans6 inCIU��ngI

the Phoenix Chamber of Commerce, financiers, oreamery men and dairy m�n,\

in addition to the Farm Bureau and county Agent. A financial pool was to

be organized and put in the hands or suitable trustees who were to buy only

desirable cattle and resell them to dairymen at cost plus handling charges

on liberal credit terms. Suspension of activities of two banks preoluded p� -

ting the plan into effect. hawaver, and it has not been attempted since,

pending an opportune time. A da.iry organization is now in the process of

formation which will probably take care of such matters. This organization

-lfi-

cooperation with the stnte Dai�y Commissioner and the Da.ir:lr Dep�.rtrnent of

the Stste Universi+,y. ;\bout 30 members joined and nearly s Ix-hundred cows

have been under test.

Little hop: \Tork has been dono due t 1 k r t· �t 'J <;/ 0 ac � 0 ].P.l...... .�dvice rob.-

tive �o reedin�. ecuipment �nd c�rg has been biv�n in n��erous instane9s.

One hundred feeders have been located tor one customer and a large bunoh of

bre�din� stock placed in pi� clubs, partly due to County Agen'!; efforts. Voca..

tionsl teachers �."ere Rsstated in puttin� on programs at hog c.ays. Boys judg­

ing contests .. aT'1'8rda of prizes and tall�s on hog raanagemenf featurod the days ,

There m,\S e. combi.ned 1lt,t�nd..mes of about 375. 110 work of i:nportnnee has been

dane alan� other livestock linas.

}�o home or olub 'II'1ork has been done bjr the t;OU'1ty .t�-i;ant" such mat-

ters bein� ably handled. by other worl�ars.

Suceas� in numer-ous instances hes been attainod loctllly in staging

what may 00 called fnrners' institutes. These ze.therin�s saver stron�lJl' both

of institutes and extension schools. It is the policy of 'the local off'ice

to stage such affe.irs when proper Locs I baokfng can be secured. and when there

is especial interest in one line of work. l:ost institu.tes held throu�hout

the year bsve already been reported under- previous headings. Three insti tU"G68

were held and were reasonably successful in December 1920, �efllin� 1I1_th the

general agricultural situation. Spe9�ers for such institutes ere obtained

wherever those best fitted for the particuls.r topic me.y be found. LocaI

tarmers� organizations and state Institutions have very generously responded

with assistance on such occasions.

The policy of the Arizona Extension Service bas alw"D.ys encouraged

agents assisting at fairs. The :\ri zona Sta.te Fa.ir, annually held in Phosni.x,

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mittee to 'Out u? :q_ suitBble e.r;ricdtura.l.dj.<3pla.y. According;lye. competi­t;ive cH.srh.y r.ns prrr,n�ed. The amounb and quality of produce entered was

,rar�r snth.f.actory. "bou+ 30.000 ,?t'ople S�W' the displ(-l.Y.

'Pe?;bmin� l1,.it.h si)rinS" pl<"n� �.VG been mr.Q6 �,.ith .-the Lelri, dis­

trict Farrr B'Jre�m +'0 st.f.l r;e a. t.. ro-rle.:' comnun l+y r�5_r in that LocaH i�y. The

fa.ir wcs hold i.n bte fToveynher 19�1, �"'� wonderfully 'v1311 !'.ttended and was

e. 1l"..nrked success in every way. 1 fE..rT.1ers insti tnta pro�e.m was ar-ranged to

run concurrerrt ly ,rlth t.he fn.ir.

The Cm.mty Fr.r!!l Bureau he s arPOl ntec1 A. pur-e seed e omml.ttee to

work ouf p l ens for perfectin� a pure seed supply for the bene!,it of Marioopa

County farmers. Effective pla.ns have been in operation for several yea.rs to

insure the purit.y, perpetuation and distribution of Pi�A co�ton seed. A

similar co�ittee last y9�r to further strengthen the existing plnn made

arre.nr,aments for certiryin� 3,500,,000 pounds of such seed. This was done

by the County Ig'9nt on behalf of the Pure Seed Committee. Subshmt.ially i�he

sane plen has been �rran�e� for by the present committee for the next plant­

ing season e.nd it h hoped to install simila.rly effeetive methods of main­

tainin� and distributlnr, seed of many other crops. Pure seed or various

sorts, espeoially alfalfa has been located for in.dividu..als in nu.m.erous in­

sta.nces.

ASSISTANTS

Need for help in the local County Agent's office has been stressec

in several annual reports. The range of work demanded, the size of the C01mt�

and the inolusiveness of agricultural industry in the County add to the prob.

lems of a Cormty Agent. tiore than halt the agriculture of the state is in

.. � .. �_ . �� __ ."L .. _ .!. .J... __ .J... __ • .J... _

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Growers' Association gave to this office sufficient money to hire an Assistant

Ccnmty �_gent for a yar-.r. The Assistant, lir. C. I. �.7ildermuth, ber-:an services

"r , ':ii1,:hr:::.u+.h. tendered. his resi.gnn.tiC'll'l" effecti79 Septerob€'r. 1, 1�21. Slight

nonbhs of i;hi.s ;,r�F'_r th9 County �r,�t.·s e.ctivities in or?:Mization caused the

rou+Lne �'Tl')rk lr.r�'91y to bo +urno-t to 1:r. ·';ilderm.1lth. The ..4.ssisbnt .AP,Gnt

from such ir..st.e.ncas: ��r. ��i1d3r:auth r!3 ,_,.or.k t s not reported herein, s i.nce funds

�n,"por-ti..r:�� "ti.s offic� �13're from aour-ce s oth9r thRn those contemplated by the

OU'Iv')ox.

The outlook of County '<,;ent work Ln t:aricopp.. is dependent almost

�_""_,"'ir� 1�1" ,,-! tl oro-r_ni z a+Lon h buDt here sufficient to hsnd'le theJ.. v _=(\!: '.l1e .;_er rn c.)

work. Il'�ury hu s f Lready been ceused b�r in!?oility +'0 cover neee s sar-y work.

The probloM b$Cf)11'lf=lS :increasl,n�l�r di:'fieult.