22 BULLETIN 332, TJ. S. DEPARTMENT OP AGRICULTURE. 



Less water is needed for the production of cotton than for the 

 production of alfalfa, particularly early in the season. In fact, 

 the total seasonal quantity of water needed for irrigating cotton is 

 probably not much more than half that needed for the irrigation of 

 alfalfa. The significance of this point lies in the fact that there is 

 more irrigable land in the Salt River Valley than can be supplied 

 with irrigation water. Hence, the growing of a crop which permits 

 economy of the water supply may permit the ultimate extension of 

 the irrigated area. 



A portion of the irrigated land in the Salt River Valley has been 

 damaged by the excessive irrigation of alfalfa, which has resulted 

 in the land becoming swampy. While this trouble has not . been 

 serious, it has occasioned anxiety on the part of certain landowners 

 and has necessitated the formulation of plans for a drainage system. 

 The growing of cotton on these areas tends to reduce the danger of 

 waterlogging. 



Another advantage of cotton as a crop for the irrigated Southwest 

 is the fact that the product is a staple and nonperishable commodity. 

 Practically all of the other crops yielding high cash returns per acre 

 are perishable and involve the hazard of heavy losses if the market 

 is temporarily oversupplied. Cotton, on the other hand, is not sub- 

 ject to rapid deterioration if not sold promptly. 



COST OF PRODUCTION. 



In an earlier report on the Egyptian-cotton industry in the South- 

 west, 1 the various factors involved in the cost of production were 

 discussed, and the conclusions stated were as follows : 



The cost of producing an acre of Egyptian cotton, estimating a yield of 1,800 

 pounds of seed cotton per acre, may be summarized as follows: Seed, tillage, 

 and irrigation, $15 ; picking, $36 ; ginning and baling, $10 ; making a total cost 

 of $61 per acre, exclusive of interest on land investment. It should be kept in 

 mind that these figures are merely approximations. The actual costs will be 

 found to vary between wide limits, both above and belo'w these figures. 



After two years' additional experience, an estimate of the cost of 

 production has been prepared by Mr. W. S. Dorman, who has grown 

 the crop for three years and who has also served as president of one 

 of the local associations of growers, a position which has enabled 

 him to keep in close touch with the progress of the new industry. 

 Mr. Dorman's estimates are shown in Table IV. 



From these estimates, which include the item of interest on the 

 land investment and deduct the value of the seed produced, Mr. 

 Dorman has calculated the net cost of production per pound of lint 



1 Scofield, C. S. Egyptian cotton culture in the Southwest. In U. S. Dept. Agr., Bur. 

 Plant Indus. Circ. 123, p. 21-28, 2 fig. 1913. 



