The Mena weekly star., 1909-10-14
The Drouth Here and Elsewhere.

year of 1909 will pass into history as the "dry year" Not alone in Ar kansas, Texas and Oklahoma has the drouth ruined our crops. From Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee on the east to Denver on the west have the hopes of the farmers been blighted. Even from far off Alaska comes the report official--that ow- ing to the lack of rainfall the pro- duction of gold has greatly fallen off, being several million dollars less than last year because of the lack of water prevented placer mining.
 Arkansas, and especially Polk county has suffered much less than Oklahoma. Reports from those states are to the effect that from one-third to one. half of all the live stock has died from thirst. That water has to be hauled by team sometimes for a dozen miles for domestic use. Nothing of that kind has happened here. Texas has raised practically nothing to eat and nothing to sell. Polk county has from half to two-thirds of crop. No live stock has died here for lack of water. It will require many years of prosperity to undo the ter rible losses of adjoining states.
 Compared with our neighbors we have little of which to complain. Dry seasons never come consecutive ly. There is no reason for doubting that next season will bring up an average year. With our improved market facilities Mena and Polk county farmers have but to plant more and cultivate better next year to regain their lost ground. If each man who owns fruit tree will properly worm and prune it, and when spring comes will properly spray and cultivate, the increased yield and enhanced price will leave him in possession of as much money as could have been realized in two ordinary years. A weak mana 'quitter give up and quit from disaster which only makes a better man more determined to fight until he wins.
 Twice in my memory have Illinois and Indiana been through just such drouth as we have had this year. No one quit-no one left the coun- try. No one was discouraged. Those things happen everywhere at times.
 Not half of the usual supply of fruit and vegetables have been canned this year. Next year will find brokers and wholesalers with empty warehouses. It will take one ordinary year to restore ordinary stocks. Common tomatoes usually worth about 70 cents dozen are now worth $l10 by the carload. Between Springfield, Mo, and Fort Smith there are about ninety can hing factories few of them opened their doors this year on account of the total failure of the canning crops.
 The cannery here is complete and ready for operation. It has capac- ity of a thousand bushels of toma- toes or fruit daily. It is strictly modern and contains the most app proved machinery for putting out iirst-elass goods which will command the highest prices.
 If every man who owns a farm within hauling distance of Mena will resolve to plant an acre or two of berries this winter and prepare for a couple of acres of tomatoes for lnext season there is no reason why good nome market cannot be maintained for all time to come. ! An acre of berries of any kind with good care is worth from one to two hundred dollars year always and forever The experience of the whole United States proves that. There is no better soil or climate anywhere for small fruit than right here.
 In all early article in The Star | shall give some suggestions founded on twenty-five years experience, on
 planting and cultivating berries and
 of successfully marketing the pro duet. c. F. $.