COMMUNITY PRODUCTION OF EGYPTIAN COTTON. 15 



Cooperative action having thus been provided, the economic prob- 

 lems were attacked as follows: 



(1) The principle of community action in cotton production, being thoroughly 

 recognized, was successfully applied in the organization of associations of 

 growers through which the problems of cooperative ginning and marketing were 

 solved. 



(2) A very satisfactory supply of labor was developed through the employ- 

 ment of Pima and Papago Indians as cotton pickers, the first experiments having 

 been made at the Cooperative Testing and Demonstration Garden at Sacaton, 

 under Mr. Swingle's direction. 



(3) Methods for classing the new product were worked out and a series of 

 grade types was established, under Mr. Brand's direction, by Mr. J. G. Martin, 

 investigator in cotton marketing. 



(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 assured. 



(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 

 action 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 there 

 regarding the outlook for commercial production and the methods 

 of growing the crop. They were therefore ready to adopt the point 

 of view of the department, and in the spring of 1912 about 30 

 farmers in the vicinity of Mesa organized an association. In the 

 following year similar organizations were formed at Chandler and 

 Tempe. Finally, in the spring of 1914, a central organization, 

 known as the Salt River Valley Egyptian-Cotton Growers' Asso- 

 ciation was formed, with the Mesa, Chandler, and Tempe associations 

 as its constituent members. The central organization was designed 

 to look after the marketing of the crop and the maintenance of a 

 supply of pure seed for the entire valley, while the local organiza- 

 tions continued to provide for the ginning of the cotton grown by 

 their members and for financing the crop during the growing period. 



The Mesa and Tempe associations now operate well-equipped gin- 

 ning plants. The gin at Chandler has been leased and operated by 

 a private company, and there is also a privately owned ginning plant 

 at Phoenix. 



