The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-03-24
SLOVAk FARMERS
now IN ARKANSAS
Continued from First page.>


the most extensively cultivated soil
type in the timberad uplunds On ac-
count of It's loose texture, the soil is
easily cultivated, and partly for this
reason and partly because 1t is we'll
drained soil IL is cultivated by large
number of Slovak farmers. Much cot
ton is grown on it. ths average In q
good season being half n bale 10 the
acre. Corn will average from twenty
to forty bushels. and oats from TWEEN
ty-five to forty bushels per acre
Most of the hay is baled on the
farm and stored in large sheds or
barns. Some of it is fed on the farm.
but the largest quantity is sold in the
distant towns to buyers who ship il
IN carload lots 10 Chicago and Eastern
cities. This crop gives fair return.
since little work is required to cut
and cure the hay no expense is incur
red in seeding or raising the grass.
and after tho crop has been cut the
cows may be turned out on the mca-
dow, which yields good pasture for
two or TIRES months.
The Dnirying Industry.
The most important industry in the
neiShborhood. and one that has been
in existence only a few years, is dairy
ing. The Slovaks have gone into Ii.
industry quite heavily during the past
two years. some keeping forty cows.
Inc general average is fifteen cows
for each household. The cream Is de-
livered to neighboring creamery ami
the skim milk Is used OH the farm for
feeding the young live stock The
farmers find that dairyins is not UNI
profitable, as their hay and corn can
all be consumed on the farms Along
with the dairy business has come thu
development of the live stock indus
try, and number OF the Slovaks sell
from $40 to S400 worth OF calves, beef
cattle and hogs yearly.
The farms vary in value from ST.
900 10 $4,000. but tn, average farm
Is worth about $4,000 The coming OF
The foreigners to this wilderness has
more than doubled the price of land.
AT iirst worth from 81 to Sl2 an acre.
II now sells for $40 to $50 per acre.
This increase can wholly be attributed
10 the Slovak immigration.
The Slovaks Seem to eXpend their
surplus in improving their Land and
increasing the quantity of live stock.
some farms carry from $1,000 TO 81
600 worth of live stock. Many Of the
farmers own twenty COWS, five to ten
horses and mules, and large droveS OF
hogs.
Progress ana Standards of Living
These people arc neat and courteous.
their dress Is American and so are
tHelT !hdnueIS. ne houses are fur-
nish.d with simple furniture and few
ornaments. In spite of the fact shat
they are an Isolated colony, they seem
10 be as fully AmcriCaniZed as ;uuny OF
the Slovuks that are found in or near
the cities.
The Slovaks OF the community are
practically an independent group.
Their recreation and amuscments are
their own. Their neighborly visits
l,a al,
enjoyment INDUCED in, although the
younger people occasionally have
dances among themselves.
The children of the Slovak farmers
attend two public schools in the neigh
borhood. where thAy constitute less
than one-hnlf of the Attendance They
mingle freely with the Americans and
are said to he apt pupils They learn
10 read and write both English and
SloNak, the former at school and the
latter at nome from their parents.
in the locality there are seventy-iive
men OF voting age and nearly so per
cent. of this number have their full
naturalization papers. These people
take minor part at elections and
only a few have held public office.
Some have served as school directors
and two have held the office of road
ovcrsecr. But apart from these petty
olilccs the part that the Slovuks have
played in politics has been very in
significant.
The Local Eject OF The Settlement
The coming of foreign born agri-
culturists to this prairie section OF
Arkansas caused an immediate improve
ment in conditions OF agriculture. The
immigrants introduced no new crops.
but they brought with them the capa-
-