Mexico Missouri message., 1900-08-09
From Arkansas.


Moore, Ark:
For some time we have been re-
ceiving your valuable paper, and
so concluded to write you some
thing about this State. Arkansas
does not deserve the unpopular re-
putation, which she has abroad.
The soil is not as fertile as Mis-
souri, soil. 1t is IA red, sandy loan
and looks like it would not "sprout
peas" but it does sprout peas and
many other things. We can raise
corn, cotton, wheat, oats, potatoes,
COW peas and all kinds of fruit.
The soil here does not produce as
the Missouri soil. The farmer
here plants only one grain of corn
in hill, which looks like child's
play to Northern farmer, but he
can usually get nearly twice as
much per bushel when he sells, and
the bread made from it is fine.
The renter here does not pay
cash rent. He pays one-third
corn, one-third of wheat and oats
and onc-fourth cotton, so if crops
fail in any way it does not take all
to pay the rent. Cotton is the sta
pie crop. The farmer can get cash
for his cotton ut all times of the
year.
Wheat does not grow well here
without fcrtilizing the land, but
most of the farmers raise enough
to supply their own demands.
Oats can be grown as well us wheat,
but not good this year on account
Of not getting rain ut the right
time.
Garden vegetables of all kinds
grow here, and as fine as | ever
saw. | do not know of any vari-
ETY. which does not grow here, and
some of them are superior to
Northern grown vegetables.
Fruit of all kinds is grown. We
have IA good crop of peaches and
apples. Grapes have rotted this
year, before ripening, but have
seen some very fine ones grown
here. Berries of all kinds. cher
ries, figs, apricots and plums, in
fact everything but clover and
some grasses will grow here.
Crops are fine this year.
Some fine timber found here.
Pine, oak, hickory, cedar, cypress
along the streams, magnolia and
fir trees in yards all do well here.
There are many saw mills in this
part of the State. All among the
hills can be found springs which
form streams of clear pure water.
Even the largest streams here are
clear, and abound in plenty of fish
Many of the springs are mineral
Water for domestic use is fine.
Most of the wells are bored wells.
They draw the water up with long
pipe-likc buckets which have II
valve at the bottom thru which the
water enters, and comes out.
Wages are not SO good us in
older States, but living expenses
are not so much. Good board can
be secured in the country from
four to six dollars, with washing
included, and in the towns for
from eight to fifteen dollars.
The people are very hospitable.
1t is generally supposed that all
classes in Arkansas use tobacco.
This is Il mistake. Some people
use it, both men and women, but
the refined, educated class do not
use it, and us thoroly detest it us
any one could. A great many
women "dip" snuff, but the cdu-
Gated clasa do not. Some of the
older ladies think they can't quit ,
but think the custom is dcclin-
ing.
We have good schools in this
State, of from three to seven or
eight months. The requirements
for teachers qualifications are IL
bout the same rs in Missouri. Wa
ges are not so good, but board is
cheaper. Arkansas is not so bad
as represented. OF course, she
has some drawbacks, but what
state is there that has not!
| Wclive fifty miles due north of
| ittln Rock in tba foot hills of thc