The Mena weekly star., 1909-02-04

popular of both saccharine and nonsac- charine sorghums were grown at Mena during the past season Some of these did not turn out very we'll but among those which stood highest African Cane and Early Amber sugar cane were best of the saccharine and white Kaffir corn stood highest of the non n-saccharine varieties.
 Of the millets tested German Millet gave by far the best results and this crop deserves considerable more atten- tion than has been given it. 1t yields a large quantity of highly nutritious fodder which is easily cured and har- vested The claim is made that 1t is
 hard on the land, but we think that perhaps this point is somewhat exag erated at any rate 1t will be found a very profitable crop to grow on land which is somewhat wild and which the owner desires to bring into subjection. | (This latter may be made in regard to both the saccharine and non-saccharine sorghums alsol. A combination of millet and Whippoorwill cowpeas has been found by the writer to make an excellent ration for wintering horses. The millet and cowpeas are sown to- gether at the rate of 50 lbs. of millet to three pecks of cowpeas per acre. These are sown about the third week in June They will be ready to harvest early in September and make very nutritious fodder. Care must be ex- ercised in feeding in order that too much is not fed to idle stock, if so com
 plications are liable to arise. Plenty of roughage and exercise should be provided along with this ration and the using of 1t will prove a very material saving on the corn crib.
 SOIL BUILDING WORK
 One of the most important lines of work started at Mena, but as yet in- completed as 1t will require another season before any data is at hand. is the soil building work.
 A section of land of about one and half acres, the poorest on the farm. was selected and divided into three sections. On sections and 3 oats were planted. On section 1 the cats were allowed to become nearly mature and then all were plowed under and cowpeas were planted. These were allowed to be- come almost mature and then the whole plant was plowed under and crimson clover sown on the land, where it is growing at the present time. On section 2 sorghum was sown and then removed when mature. On section 3 the treatment was the same as section 1 only both the crops of oats and cow peas were removed and only the stubble was plowed under Crimson clover was also sown on this section last fall and is growing there at present. Next spring all three sections will be plowed and cotton planted upon them and the yield of cotton will indicate ths improvement from the blowing under of the different crops The difference in the yield of cotton of the three diff ferent se2tions should provide valuable lesson to those residing in the Mena section. A fnrther report of this work will appear in the next annual report.
 DISTANCE TEST WITH COTTON
 For some time there has been differ ences of opinion as to which is the proper method of planting cotton The method commonly practised in Arkan- sas is to SOW the cotton very thickly in the drill and then after the plants grow to about three inches high chop out, leaving the plants from twelve to eighteen inches apart in the rows. This method has always seemed to be un-
 
 experiment was planned and carried on at Mena during the past season testing the check rowing method as com pared with the method of planting in drills and chopping out A series of three plots were arranged and on No. land was checked three and one-half feet each way and cotton planted in these checks. On plot No. the seed was planted in drills four feet apart and chopped out, leaving the plants twelve inches apart in the drills. This series gave very good opportunity for testing the relative merits of each method.
 The results are indicated by the yield. show that the check rowed method, that is the planting of the cotton three and one-half feet by three and one-half feet. is the best This plot exceeded the yield of plot No. 2, which was second best, by over seventy-six pounds of seed cotton per acre. Not only this, but it required less than one-quarter the amount of seed to plant 1t. Tn the check row method the man was able to cultivate the crop both ways, thus re- quiring much less labor by hand The point of labor saving was tested and It was found by actual experiment that fourteen and one-half hours labor per acre was saved during the season in the case of the check rowed cotton as com pared with the drilled. Valuing the mans time at 12ls cents per hour the labor saved would amount to consider able where large area was handled.
 Comparing the check rowed cotton with that which was chopped out leav- ing the plants twelve inches apart. 1t was found that the check row method gave an increase of yield of HIS lbs. of seed cotton. Taking into account the increase in yield, the seed and labor saved, little doubt should remain in the mind of the farmer as to which method should be followed when planting cotton.
 WORK IN PROGRESS
 One years experimental work is of little benefit unless it can be followed by several others and an average of the results of the several years work taken as the reliable guide. While there is nothing in the results of this year to in- dicate that any points have been neg lected and in order to obtain first class results. we merely want to state that we submit our findings qualifiedly and with the hope that with results of the work of several more years we will be able to form conclusions which can be followed without fear of contradiction For the present we merely submit the result of the past seasons work in the