14 BULLETIN 1i2, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTTJBE. 



It has been the policy of the committee since its organization to 

 avoid a sharp segregation of the different fields of investigation. 

 As a result, each member has felt free to offer suggestions and even 

 to assume responsibility beyond the limits of his own field, while 

 the more important issues which have successively arisen in connec- 

 tion with the establishment of the industry have been decided by 

 the whole committee. It is believed that this committee coopera- 

 tion has been of the greatest importance in the successful establish- 

 ment of the industry, since it has resulted in focusing upon the 

 problems the different points of view and different mental, equipment 

 and training of several independent investigators. 



Cooperative action having thus been provided, the economic prob- 

 lems were attacked, as follows: 



(1) The principle of community effort in cotton production was applied in the 

 organization of associations of growers. 



(2) A supply of labor sufficient for the earlier requirements of the industry 

 was developed through the employment of Pima and Papago Indians as cotton 

 pickers, the first experiments having been made at the Cooperative Testing 

 Garden at Sacaton under Mr. Swingle's direction. Frank M. Thackery, for- 

 merly superintendent of the Pima Indian Reservation and now chief supervisor 

 of farming in the Office of Indian Affairs, rendered effective cooperation in this 

 work. 



(3) Methods for classing the new product were worked out, and grade and 

 staple types were established, first for the Yuma, variety and later for the Pima 

 variety, by J. G. Martin and George Butterworth, of the Bureau of Markets. 



(4) The American and European markets for this type of cotton were in- 

 vestigated by representatives of the associated growers and of the Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture, contacts with buyers and spinners were established, and 

 outlets for the product on the basis of full market value were thus obtained. 



(5) In cooperation with the associated growers, measures were taken to in- 

 sure a supply of pure seed for planting each year. 



COOPERATIVE ORGANIZATION OF THE GROWERS. 



When the Yuma variety of Egyptian cotton developed by the 

 Department of Agriculture had been shown to possess the qualities 

 needed for successful commercial production, it was pointed out 

 that the industry could be successfully established only by community 

 effort and that the department stood ready to furnish a supply of 

 seed for planting, provided the growers were able to form a coop- 

 erative association. Farmers in the Salt River Valley had watched 

 with interest the experiments with Egyptian cotton at Sacaton and 

 had conferred with the superintendent of the cooperative garden 



tion Service ami has also conducted certain investigations of market conditions in the 

 United States and in Europe. 



\Y. T. Swingle, Physiologist In Charge of Crop Thysiology and Breeding Investigations, 

 has charge of those phases of the work which involve cooperation with the Office of Indian 

 Affairs, including the arrangements for securing Indian lahor. 



Fred' Taylor, Cotton Technologist of the P.ui-eau of Markets, has the immediate super- 

 vision of the classing, marketing, and technological prohlems. 



