The Mena weekly star. (Mena, Ark.) 1904-1977, 1912-02-22
ARKANSAS MADE
splendid Showing
Report Shows 2,760 Demonstration.
and 1873 Co-operators-Yield
Increase so 10 100 Per Gent
Fight on Boil WeeyiI.

Washington, Feb. i5.-Secretarv
of Agriculture Wilson has received
the following report on Department
Demonstration Work in Arkansas.
OF the rs counties in Arkansas. 81
are being worked under the agents
of the Farmers Cooperative Dem
onstration Work. The work was
begun in this state in 1907, and has
from the very first had the best Of
cooperation and encouragement
from all the forces doing agricul-
tural work in the state The rapid
progress along agricultural lines in
Arkansas is so noticeable that out
side parties have made special
mention of it on numerous occa-
sions. BY a well-planned manage
ment of the Demonstration Work
the educational camDaign has been
kept we'll in advance OF the boil
weevil. consequently the usual
business decentralization and labor
disturbances that accompany the
weevi have been largely prevented.
Diversiflcation of crops, good prep
aration Of soil. better live stock and
improved indictments. and the use
of good seed have all been advo-
Gated and their use pretty thor
oughly established throughout the
state.
The financial aid for the work in
Arkansas has been most liberal
Commercial organizations and the
quorum courts have contributed
funds in almost every county in
which the work is being carried on.
The amount contributed locally in
1914 was more than ei6 0An There
has been given for the 1912 work
already more than s35 Some
counties have supplemented the
departments funds sufficiently to
put in two hiRh-priced agents One
of the chief causes for this hearty
co-enarafion in financial way nv
the local authorities is that this
was one OF the conditions made
when the work was first introduced
into the stafe-each county was to
contrihute at least half Of the ex-
nenses of the agent in that county,
The plan has worked out admirably
so far.
There were 2.760 demonstrators
and o7S8 co-operators III 1911. rep-
resenting a total Of more than 400 =
900 acres. About as MANY more
acres were Influenced nv the work
Of which we have no direct record
The average increase in the yield
from the demonstration farms was
from 80 TO 100 per cent. both cot-
ton and corn. The corresponding
increase in various other crons Of
which we keen no record NAV be
safely counted on. These figures
would indicate that better meth
cd generally adonted over the slate
Of Arkansas would increase its sew
nraI millions of dollars annually
The notable agricultural improve
ment and progress in Arkansas can
not. Of course. all be attributed to
the eHectS OF tbe htlioiiNtldtiot'
work. hut it may safely claim 10
have heen great factor in bring
ing about the change and mainline
out The course along safe and econ
omic lines.
With this strong force of mon in
The fold Of 1912 with the liberal CO.
oneratian of The State Denarfmenf
Of Apricrltnre. fhc agricultural coll
leee md evneriment station neo-
nile The State SUPERINTENDENT Of
Education and all the STATE officials
backed up with this liberal fnan-
cial co-oneration. we hone TO b
able TO accomnlish some remark
able results for the year