Sharp County record., 1914-05-29
WEEKLY LETTER
or J. H. PAGE
Much Arkansas Land Better
For Truck Farming Than
For Staple Crops.

OOOl Nights IetdIu IIlC SIo"th vi
the young cotton plants, but when
the warm days and nights come
the cotton will grow rapidly if it is
in good condition. Keep the grass
and weeds out and keep the dirt
loose, so the cotton will do its best
when the warm weather gets here.
Corn pests are giving more or less
trouble now. Cut-worms do good
deal of damage to growing corn
and other things too. Paris green
mixed with wheat bran and
sprinkled along the rows will kill off
good many cut worms and also
some of the other corn pests. The
small wire worm is perhaps the
hardest to contend with. The gov
ernment is now making an investi-
cation of the wire worm in this
state.
During this month is a time to
plant soy beans, velvet beans or
COW peas. Cow peas should follow
the oats as soon as harvested.
Early potatoes should be followed
by peas or some other crop. Late
cabbage is a good follow crop. The
custom Of topping corn and pulling
fodder are both bad. Other arrange
ments should be made for forage.
More than the value of the tops or
fodder is lost in the corn when it
natures. Of course the labor is lost.
The reason is because the corn
stalk is weakened by being topped or
having the blades pulled of, and so
much of the vitality is taken away
that the ear does not mature to as
full weight as it would.
Lots of land in Arkansas is better
for truck farming than for staple
crops. Truck farming requires
more work per acre, but pays bigger,
Truck farming, hay raising and
stock growing will pay the best. OF
course the most of the farmers do
not believe this and will 90 on rails
ing cotton and some corn and buy
ing the balance, However, if they
will lock into things closely they
will find that the farmers who raise
truck crops, fruit, hay and stock,
and enough feed to keep the stock,
are the ones who are keeping out of
debt and doing we'll.
The little Spanish peanut is a
good and profitable crop in this
state. Watermelons IS another
good crop. Fall beans make a
splendid truck crop, There is
always demand for string beans in
the fall at a good price. Those who
are raising sweet potatoes for the
market should get in touch with
J. G. Norden of Russellville, and join
t h e potato growers association.
The farmers of Arkansas should
give more attention to vegetables
and small fruits for home consump-
ton, In this day Of high prices the
farmers wives and daughters, with
the aid Of fifteen dollar canning
outfit, can put up enough canned
goods from the surplus vegetables
aud fruits on the place to furnish
good table all through the winter,
This is a good means Of providing a
good living at home with almost no
expense
Now Is the time to kill the roost-
er. It is too late to set any more
hens until fall, and the rooster is Of
no more use until then. Kill them
of and buy new ones In the fall
The hens will lay just as well with.
out the rooster and the eegs will
remain fresh a long time. The
farmers should eat the eggs and
chickens produced on the farm un.
less they have a surplus Eggs and
chickens served on the table are
cheaper than most any food that
can be bought in town and far bet
for Fvpru INLAND farm aho,,lJ |