14 FIELD OPERATIONS OF THE BUKIOAU OF SOILS, l'.)17. 



tin<^, of which there may be as many as seven. Alfalfa is allowed 

 to occupy the land for many years without reseeding. Much of the 

 land in cultivated grasses is pastured a part of the year, Avhich tends 

 to reduce the yield of hay. The forage and hay crops are used 

 largely to feed the work stock and dairy animals. 



According to the census neither cotton nor the sorghums were 

 grown in Pinal County in 1909. Since then, mainly as the result of 

 investigations by the Bureau of Plant Industry, long-staple Egyp- 

 tian cotton and Egyptian corn and milo have been introduced. 



Long-staple Egyptian cotton is grown extensively in adjacent 

 parts of the Salt Eiver Valley, and it bids fair to become an im- 

 portant crop in this area when facilities for irrigation have been ex- 

 tended. Several strains of this cotton, which seems to be particu- 

 larly adapted to the soil and climate, have been bred to a high stand- 

 ard at the United States experiment station at Sacaton. Small fields 

 have been set out in the Middle Gila Valley area, both white and 

 Indian farmers taking up culture of this crop. High prices during 

 the last two years (1916 and 1917) have stimulated the interest in 

 cotton. It is planted after all danger from frost is past, and is culti- 

 vated and irrigated during the growing season. Much hand labor is 

 necessary in thinning, chopping, cultivating, and picldng. Harvest- 

 ing begins in, the fall and may continue until late in the winter, 

 which usually is favorable for such work. 



Egyptian corn and milo are grown more extensively each year and 

 promise to become important crops, as they are well adapted to the 

 soil and climatic conditions and can be grown late in the summer 

 after other crops are disposed of. It is necessary to irrigate the land 

 before seeding. Later irrigations depend upon the season and rain- 

 fall. These grains, which make excellent stock feed, are generally 

 grown by the white farmers ; the Indians, who grow grain for food, 

 prefer corn. 



Stock raising is the most important source of income of the Pinal 

 County farmers. Cattle and horses are kept in the largest num- 

 bers, but some hogs, sheep, and goats are raised. Practically all of 

 the stock subsists on the desert range the year round, seldom being 

 fed at any time of the year, except locally during severe drought. 

 Some dairy cattle are fed and pastured on alfalfa the year round. 

 Dairying is almost entirely in the hands of white farmers, and is 

 best developed in the vicinity of the larger towns. The income from 

 dairy products in 1909 was $10,546. Poultry raising is carried on in 

 conjunction with general farm operations, the value of poultry 

 raised in 1909 amounting to $15,306. The Indians seem more adept 

 in the raising of stock than in farming. The (luality of the cattle 

 on the reservation is being improved through the agency of the 

 Government. 



