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 1911, 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. 
