UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
BULLETIN No. 324 | 
yy 
Contribution from the Bureau of Plant Industry 
WM. A. TAYLOR, Chief 
Washington, D.C. vV December 22, 1915 
COMMUNITY PRODUCTION OF DURANGO COTTON 
IN THE IMPERIAL VALLEY. 
By ARGYLE McLACHLAN, 
Scientific Assistant, Office of Western Irrigation Agriculture. 
CONTENTS. 
Page. Page 
In froductioneser sy ereee re eis ses e 1 | The grower and stabilization......--...-.-.-. 10 
Eistonyaot theimdustryss.. 462 5 2-5-25--6--- 2 | The ginner and stabilization...:............. 12 
WAT TIES STOW MP yee seers ean ne see a Cee 4 | Organized growers and stabilization........- 13 
Progress due to organized effort.......-.--.- 6 | The banker and stabilization. ............... 15 
Stabilizing long-staple cotton......-...--..-- 10 | The manufacturer and stabilization........- 16 
# INTRODUCTION. 
Cotton growing in the irrigated valleys of southern California 
and Arizona, which was begun in 1909, has already become of great 
commercial importance. The gross income from the cotton indus- 
tries in these two States in 1913 exceeded $1,400,000. In 1914 it was 
over $2,000,000, even under the poor market conditions of that season. 
The United States Department of Agriculture has given assistance 
in extending the growing of long-staple cotton in the southwestern 
irrigated valleys, and in 1910 introduced Durango long-staple cotton 
in the Imperial Valley. This variety, which bears fiber from 1; 
to 14 inches in length, yields as well as short-staple varieties and 
brings better net returns. In 1913 the Durango crop amounted to 
6,000 bales; in 1914, to 8,000 bales. 
Cotton growing on a community basis—the growing of one sort 
of cotton in a community—with Durango cotton as the variety advo- 
cated, now has the support of those cotton growers of the Imperial 
Valley who are associated in a cooperative organization. 
Many important problems are yet to be worked out to place cotton 
growing on the profitable basis it should assume under the local con- 
ditions of production, handling, and marketing. These problems 
should be frankly recognized and solved wisely if the cotton indus- 
try is to continue an important feature of the agriculture of the 
Imperial Valley. 
9395°—15 
