The Mena weekly star., 1910-09-29
MORE OF FULTON'S FARN
I. ?. Writes of the Good Features and Some of His Plans of
 Action.
To the Editor of The Star:

Dear Sir:-In my first communica- tion 1 described about all the bad features of my 40-acre fruit farm, and 1 will now tell your readers about some of it's good points.
 To begin with, it is fairly smooth tract of land, gently rolling, well drained, free from rocks and slop- ing to the west and north. There are about 30 acres in cultivation, two small orchards in full bearing, Broom frame house with detached summer kitchen, good barn and chicken house, well and spring, and about four acres of pine timber that will cut $500 worth of lumber. The land faces the railroad and wagon road runs the full length of the farm along the right-of-way. The house stands on the highest point of the farm we'll back from the road and commands fine view of Dry Creek valley and the blue crests of the dis tant mountains. In fact, it is an ideal country home and 1 am well pleased with my bargain. Before proceed to outline my plan of pro- ceedure in solving the improvement problem, however, l will givea brief sketch of the ancient history con- nected with my new home.
 As indicated in my last article, it is a part of the old James Ashford homestead, which now is divided in- to three or four smaller farms. The records show that Mr. Ashford got a patent from the United States in 1854 by paying $l.25 per acre for the land, but as stated last week, old Mr. Barton says that when he moved to this country in 1847 MT. Ashford was farming the place. So the lat ter must have lived on his home stead for several years before he got patent to it.
 On the 43-acre farm just across the railroad track from my place, owned by my brother, G. M. Fulton, and known as the Dr. James place, is the site of the first steam mill ever operated in Polk county. It was moved to the location from Scott county just after the Civil war and was operated under different arrangements for many years for the benefit of the farmers who were scattered over the country. Con- siderable wheat was grown in the country during those years, and the little mill was a great convenience to the early settlers. The mill was pretty well worn out when brought here and after several years of serv- ice it wore out completely and final ly the old machinery went to the junk dealers.
 Since writing my first communica- ton 1 have been cutting sprouts, weeds, briars, and pesky dog fennel and burning out old dry stumps. There are about four acres of com paratively new ground on the farm and I am getting it ready for crop of corn, potatoes and melons next year. It is covered with heavy growth of vegetation that can be turned under, and as soon as l get the sprouts off 1 am going to put a man at work with 14-inch blow and stout pair of mules with instruc- tions to blow that land just as deep as the blow will go, and if l cannot rig the right kind of a sub-soiler to the blow l will have another man to follow the mule team with a keen. earth splitting "bull tongue. Of course some of my neighbors will tell me l will "spile" my land, but all have to say to them now is to invite them to come over in my field next summer when the weather gets hot and dry and see how my corn looks. If drouth strikes country as it does some times, want my skeptical friends to be sure and take a look at my corn. Of course l will stir ny ground next spring before the planting season, and during the cultivating period. l will keep my cutivator running all the time until the corn is in silk and tassel. No, 1 am not going to fertilize this land, and am not going to farm accord ing to expert instructions. am simply going to use my own judg- ment and farm in my own way.
 Just before cultivating my corn for the last time am going to SOW cowpeas broad cast over the field. In planting my corn l am going to lay off the land in rows four feet each way and leave one stalk to the hill. One ear of good corn is worth .l ~ f... ..l~l,.,,- orl tksr ..I-x