The true northerner., 1898-05-18
Arkansas Methods.
Prescott, Ark, April %, '9S.

| Ed. Northerner:
Since my last, have ridden over quite
an extent of territory tributary To this
place; have kept my eyes open and have
asked questions, that | might get an in
telligent understanding of methods of
farming, of the crops grown and of the
fertility of the soil, etc. find there is
no anxiety regarding what is to become
of the soil after the present crop, as there
is no attempt at restoring the fertility
lost by constant cropping. | haven't seen
a manure pile yet, nor a sack of fertilizer,
nor is there any effort to SOW clover, or
alfalfa, or COW peas, or any other restora-
tive crop. New lands are cleared when
the old fields become too sterile to risk
stalking seasons supplies on the
value of the crop. Farming is making
crop" and that includes securing
credit for the seasons supplies for both
family and teams. If the farmer has
good credit, he gets what he needs with
out mortgaging his belongings and his
prospective crop, but he takes the goods
at what is called credit price-th that is, 40
to 100 per cent above cash prices. This
credit runs until Oct. ID, when interest
at 10 per cent is charged. The congress
man from this district lives here when
at home and has large land property.
His foreman or manager lets out this
land to any one, white or colored, whom
he thinks Industrious enough To make a
crop" and grub stakes" as they term it
in mining country, or supplies" them
here. The crop belongs to the owner OF
the land absolutely, until division is
made and the supplies are paid for. If
the renter should take bale of cotton
to market and sell it, the land owner can
take it wherever found, and the pur-
chaser may whistle for his money.
Land here is never plowed as with us.
If new land, "scanter" or little one
horse shovel plow with coulter in front,
is run across straight through for row of
corn, and hand follows Immediately,
dropping two or three kernels in hills
about the same distance apart as in
Michigan. When row is dropped, the
scanter plows once each side of this fur
row and covers the corn, then another
times one hand "lays off" the rows and
others drop, and second mule and plow
cover the rows. The "middles" Tor mid
die of the row are left frequently until
the corn appears or until a more con
venient season. These rows once Laid
out" become permanent, year after year.
The next year the middles will be opened
out with the plow, corn or cotton plant
eel as before Fields are frequently Laid
out" very straight and uniform, but
when once in rainbow or serpentine
shape they are stereotyped for time.
Cotton follows corn and vice versa. This
is all the rotation practiced and is con
tinued indefinitely, or until turned out
or the field is deserted. Land is very
patchy here. Five acres of good land in
irregular shape, and ten acres of sterile
ground or perhaps the other way, and
ten acres of good ground can be had of
uniform fertility -bordered by poorer or
entirely sterile soil.
Cattle and hogs are 80 per cent better
quality than when | was here five years
ago. \ Poland China SOW is now trying
to root over the public watering trough
and her progeny are slyly trying to get
their noses into the sacks of peas and
millet seed, set along in front of the
stores.
shall leave the timber supply and
"nigger" questions for other letters to
follow.
A fine rain last night and this morning
has freshened up things and the "roses
on the wall" are sight to see.
4. G. GLIDDEN.