The Mena weekly star. (Mena, Ark.) 1904-1977, 1911-11-02

Inc Quorum court lleH maze an
appropriation Of 5000 to carry ON
the work in 1911. There was no
increase in Tax, and there was no
burden on any man.
Then Mena business men, realiz-
ing the opportunity TO do much
good by encouraging the boys TO in
dustry and to knowledge that
would make them better, more use
|ful and happier citizens, offered
approximately 5000 in premiums to
those who excelled in corn and cot
ton production.
The results Of this last step,
which only could have succeeded 10
connection with the Farm Demon
stration work, at present can only
be definitely given as to corn. They
are amazing and here are some of
the features
The average production per acre
of the boys reporting, ranging in
age from 10 to rs years, was $50
bushels per acre probably nearly
three times the average of the crop
for the county.
The hoy who made the biggest
yield at least cost showed i05 BUSH
els to an acre. at a cost for labor,
fertilizer and including S5 rental on
land of $500, leaving him a profit
estimating corn at IS cents BUSH
81, of $59.05 on his acre.
Another lad produced 9i.5 BUSH
els on side hill land. and his total
cost was under $25, and others did
nearly as we'll. That these boys
received handsome returns in pre-
miums, and their pure-bred seed
corn will bring fancy prices, need
not be considered here.
But here is another feature
Despite the fact that this is the
first attempt, these same Corn Club
boys have grown corn that, in COM
petition with all of Arkansas and
Oklahoma, has carried away the
highest honors, and, incidentally,
some good money.
They beat Arkansas with the fin
est single ear.
They beat Arkansas and Okla
homa with the best 10 ears, in the
open class and for the boys and
girls class.
They beat Oklahoma and Arkan-
sas with the best 25 ear exhibit and
the largest yield at least cost, and
took other premiums at both state
and interstate fairs.
And when, in the later part of
next month, the boys Of the Polk
county club who planted cotton
have reported. there will be just
as good stories to tell of their sue
cess-the result of their industry,
combined with Polk county soil
treated by modern methods as
taught by the government through
the Farm Demonstration in Polk
county.
And every boy who has entered
this work has had a lesson in good
in useful life, and
stands a better show for success
than those who have gone about
their labor in a haphazard, unguid-
ed or slovenly way, or. failing to
become Interested in such work.
have loafed away their time.
So much for the boys and Farm
work.
IL is asserted, and denial is chal-
lenged, that with hardly an excep-
tion, every farmer in Polk county
who has sincerely given the demon
stration work a trial has been more
than pleased, some asserting it was
worth hundreds of dollars to them.
But The Quorum court OF Polk
county didn't want it. 1t turned il
down, some members claiming that
il was a waste OF the peoples
money.
Let us see about this.
The appropriation asked was
5000. 1t was to come out of the
general fund, so no extra taxation
was anticipated. But. let us sup
pose that it was an actual burden
upon the taxpayers. How would ii
be divided?
As Mena and the Kansas City
Southern Railway approve the work
and pay fully half the taxes, the
figures for the past years work
would be about as follows:
Mena and railroad 800
Premiums given by Mena----- GOO
Given by government--------- 800
Premiums won outside Mena-- $50
Total ------~------- 1880
All taxpayers outside Mena-- 800
Balance ------------ Si050
And of all the money that is paid
in taxes, none goes more directly to
The country aid the farmers than
this.
Now, putting aside any element of
good, any value in the education of
boys and men, any increaes in crop
yield, in consequent prosperity, in
dividual and collective, what sort
of a business proposition was it for
the Quorum court to turn its back
on a movement that returned to the
farmers and farmers boys directly
and indirectly, $3.50 for each dol
lar they expended?
While other counties are making
double appropriations to increase
the Farm Demonstration work, Polk