The Mena weekly star., 1897-02-03
INTERESTING, INSTRUCTIVE.
HON. ". c. yINCENhELLEP AND
 PROF. sTiNsON'S ADDRESSES.
They Speak in Praise of Mena and of western Arkansas. Horticug-
 tural Society Organized.

l1ehS or Mena gathered at the NJ. E church in this city Saturday to listen to an address by Hon. ". c. Vincen- heller, of Little Rock. commissioner of mines, mannfacturies and agriculture. ". ]. Matheny, Esq, presided and in- troduced the speaker who. in an easv and graceful manner. commenced his talk. Speaking of the mineral nros- poets here he said he had spent four years in the Colorado mines and was satisfied that rich developments await ed thls section of country along these lines. lie had great confidence m our man ganese and zine and from indica- tions believed there would be good gold and silver mines developed. but as a practical farmer and fruit grower would prefer a farm paying $50 or S6o an acre to gold mine producing only Sl0 to the ton.
 He said Arkansas was well adapted to the growing of fruits and he knew this to be good fruit country. There had been nothing in the past to induce people to grow fruit here beyond what they could consume, but now that the railroad had been built, giylng trans portation to Kansas City and tue great northwestern markets, there were great inducements and promise of large profits in the growing of fruit He spoke of this as an excellent sec ton in which to grow the apple, as it required altitude to grow them to per lection, and here we have the altitude, being from 1,200 to 1,50O feet above the sea, and u soii we'll adapted to, the growth of trees This was specially the home of small fruit, and from these quick returns could be received. The speaker dwelt particularly upon the profits from growing straw berries considering the ready access to mar kets, sending the first pickings or early varieties to the north, since, with present shipping facilities. ber- ries picked in the morning would reach Kansas City markets the follow ing morning, and as the season ad- vanced We would have equally as good facilities for shipping south, which for the later pickings or varieties had al ready proven to be the best markets, reaching Texas and Louisiana points after the berries in these sections were out of season or had been spoiled by dry weather and the hot sun.
 Great Road and Good Town.
 Mir Vincenheller spoke of our par tieularly and peculiar fortunate loca- tion at the division point of this great line of railway--a road that had been built by it's projectors as an independ- ent enterprise, asking no bonus no bonds or other aid along the line. lie spoke of Mena as one Of the wonders Of Arkansas; none had ever made such progress as Mena. lie was surprised att She growth aud felt sure it mad a foundation for city and was sure to become THE town of this portion of Arkansas; that within one year we would have connection with Hot Springs which would prove of inn mense advantage, and advised his hearers to always speak good word for Mena.
 He called attention to the healthful- ness of this locality, remarling that we had no great sluggish rivers where the people succeeded so we'll in grow ing cotton and chills [probably having It. Smith in his minds eye. Ed l He had resided thirteen years in Texas and knew that any field in Polk county would produce as much as the lands of Texas.
 Speaking of fertilizing he stated that wood ashes were good and that q ton of hard wood ashes were worth as much as ton of commercial fertilizers at SC. 50 a ton. He also advised grow ing a crop of cow-peas and then blow ing them under to fertilize and enliven the soil. He advised preparing the ground we'll for all kinds of fruit, and said that 5 5,000 strawberry plants was enough to plant au acre and that they could be had at 75 cents to S1 I thous- and. That an acre planted this spring would. with proper care and cultiva- tion, produce enough net money to ,anxr for. the land and all eynenSeS. as