Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1915-04-21
Jefferson Farmers Not Only Reducing Cotton Acreage,
 But Planting Idle Lands.
LITTLE MONEY TO
 BE SENT AWAY NOW
Federal Agent Thomas Finds Thous. ands of Acres Being Planted to Grain, Hay and Forage Crops.
 Cannery Will Increase Payroll.

"Although the reduction in cotton acreage in Jefferson county may not aggregate more than 20 or 9 per cent, may not even amount to that much, 1t is fact that much land which has been idle in the past and a great acreage of new land, is being put into forage and truck crops this year., said Farm Demonstration Agent c. H. Thomas yesterday.
 s'Just how the cotton acreage will finally balance up against last year it is difficult at this time to say The small hill-farmer, who needs fertilizer to make "a paying cotton crop, is re- ducing his cotton acreage, principally because he is broke and cannot get the money necessary to buy the fertll- izer. Without fertilizer. he cannot raise cotton profitably, hence he is planting something else. Knowing these facts, the bottom land farmer, who needs no fertilizer, and the othe!' farmers who have the money or credit with which to obtain fertilizer, are planting their full acreage in cotton in many instances, and sore are even increasing their acreage Several of the large plantations are preparing to , plant as big acreage in cotton this year as was done last year and other previous years. It is impossible, how ever. to figure now how the final ag- gregate acreage in cottin will be this season. Certainly the reduction, if any. will not be large.
 Planting More Grain Crops.
 "The really favorable thing about farming conditions in Jefferson coun- ty. however, is the greatly increased acreage in forage and truck crops. Hundreds and thousands of acres are being planted in corn, oats, peas, hay and such forage crops. Hundreds of farmers are planting potatoes, toma- toes and other truck crops. Hogs are being raised in all directions and with much more care than in the past while the poultry proposition is being given very great attention, by the men as well as by the women and children
 "There are no men anywhere in the county who are working harder for the benefit of the farmers of the county than J. D. Boyce, head of the profitable farming committee and oi the farmers club, and E. B. Bloom secretary of the chamber of commerce MT. bOyCeS dCtlVltleS III Ueu5Il Ol tllt Let Arkansas Feed Herself move, rnent are widely known, and in these he has received great cooperation from MT. Bloom and other Pine Bluff business men, Mir. Bloom is continu- ally exerting himself in behalf o some one farmer or of the farmers as a class, following every conceivable line of work.
 "Mr. Blooms efforts to bring ibou the operation here Of t!.e big c7nnlnt plant means more for the farmers than the farmers themselves imagine Tn Maryland, Indiana, Illinois ant other states which produce immens' quantities of canned products. tn canning plants contract at this sea son with the farmers for a certain quantity of tomatoes. potatoes, beans CT other stuff. for delivery at spec flied time. and for payment at stip tlated price, which is an srrangemen mutually advantageous. The farme