The Springdale news., 1898-09-30
An I||inoisan's Opinion of North
 west Arkansas.
TX. c. Farmer and Fruitman,

K. C. Farmer and Frultman,
 SPRINGDALE. ARK, July 29, 1898. B. l.. Winchel, General Passenger Agent, St. l.. & 5. k. By, St. Louis, Mo. DEAR SIR. II want to talk to you about Arkansas. I came here from Chicago, Ill.,, some three years ago with impaired health, which is now fully restored. On coming here I went directly into the fruit culture. l have now 40 acres Tn apple orchard, 40 acres in straw berries-and Set out 10 acres more last spring-and a peach orchard of $500 trees of the famous FL berta variety. Right here, l want to say that the peach in dustry is just in It's infancy in this section, and notwithstand ing the past poor season, Ar kansas and New Jersey ship ped more than any other state, each shipping 3,0OO,o00 half bushel baskets. We have the soil food, and the atmospheric food which the peach requires. It was stated by commission men in the East where our peaches were marketed that this beyond doubt was the home of the peach.
 Northwest Arkansas is just beginning to be developed. Being a natural fruit belt it will in the near future Set the whole world to thinking, as you could last fall find fruit from this section in all the large cities North and South. Our export apples are invading the markets ot Germany and various foreign countries. When we consider how many farmers are beginning to be active friends of our state, we Know more would, even now, be its defenders if they but knew the advantages the sec tion afforded Everyone wish es to better his condition as to health and finances. Climate is an important factor to De considered when locating a home, and Northwest Arkansas is noted for its mild, salu brious climate and pure water, which are the first most essential points. This Is a great fruit producing section. While ap pie orchards Tn Northwest Ar kansas lie high and cool, the breeze sweeps two thousand feet high, giving climate equal to ten degrees of latitude, and the apples produced here are in competition with the whole world and fast winning favor wherever placel. There was shipped from this place during the past season about 400 car loads of green apples. and about 35 cars of dried ap ples, besides a number of cars of canned fruit. Lands in the upland plateau are being cleared and orchards contain ing 10, 20, 50 and 15O acres planted.
 A few years ago this place began in a small way to ship trawberries, black and red raspberries, etc., and during the past season this place shipped about 50 car loads, the early berries going North while the later berries found a market South of us. Straw berries ripen here from the 25th of April to the last of May, thus placing us on the market at the proper season of the year to realize handsome pro fits. Our fruit growers are get ting rich inotead of in debt. They make a profit of $50 to $1OO per acre. Some make more than this, but this is the average, and no one figures on less than $50 Ln acre. CulC- vating berries has been thoroughly tested, aud the profits are astonishing, and, as the berry crop has proven so profitable the increase in acre. age will be more than doubled
 tho ocminn upar