Introduction — Geography and Topography 7 



ditions with which they had had httle or no previous experience. The 

 period of expansion immediately following the opening of the Gov- 

 ernment Project was largely a period of rearrangement so far as agri- 

 cultural plans and activities were concerned. The natural questions 

 which first arose in the minds of \'^alley farmers concerned themselves 

 with the most profitable form of agriculture to be adopted. Fertile 

 soils and excellent climatic conditions have operated to give full sway 

 to a period of what might be termed experimental research on the part 

 of producers and State and Federal experiment stations. Having thor- 

 oughly established the fact that a great range of activity is permitted 

 under natural conditions, it has been gradually becoming more apparent 

 that future profits must lie in a coordination of activities and a system- 

 atizing of the entire agriculture of the Valley. The present era is 

 therefore one of readjustment and to that extent has made a commer- 

 cial study of interest and importance. 



This study of marketing conditions was made during the crop 

 season of 191 7 and the recommendations made in this bulletin and the 

 conclusions reached have to do with conditions as they exist. It has 

 been necessary in some cases to overstep the boundaries of a survey 

 devoted purely to marketing problems. It often has been found im- 

 possible to segregate the financial and commercial problems from other 

 factors which have entered into a consideration of the farmers' returns 

 for products sold. There has been, therefore, no attempt to eliminate 

 those extraneous matters which at first glance might not appear per- 

 tinent to the value of the work. A commercial viewpoint of the entire 

 problem has necessitated a complete survey of the field. 



Geography and Topography In view of the fact that the geo- 

 graphical location of Maricopa County and the internal arrangement 

 of the irrigated territory within this County have a bearing on the 

 commercial phases of agriculture, it seems best briefly to review these 

 conditions. 



Reference to a map will show that Maricopa County is located in 

 the south-central part of Arizona. The irrigated areas which col- 

 lectively constitute the Salt River Valley, range in altitude from about 

 950 feet to 1250 feet. The average altitude is about iioo feet. 



The main body of irrigated land is irregularly oblong in shape and 

 extends from the Agua Fria River on the west to the Eastern Canal 

 which lies east of Gilbert and Chandler. The approximate total length 

 of this oblong district is about 36 miles, while its average width is 



