The Prescott daily news., 1915-03-15
WEEKLY LETTER OF CON-
 MISSIONER JOHN H. PAGE
Bureau of Mines. Manufactures and Agriculture, Little Rock. Ark. Diversity, but Be Cautious if
 You Would Succeed.

The agitation of the subject of di- verslfication during the fall. open- ed the way for good many to urge dlversitication who are the wisest counsellors about farming. The sub- Ject of diversifcation who are the wlsest counsellors about farmino. The subject of diversifcation is broad and deep and has many angles. It is an easy matter to advise a man to di- versify his crops and leave the sub ject there; but that is not all
 The man who diversifies is going to succeed or fail, according as he does 1t. Some who have been won to di- versification, and away free so much cotton and con. are goirg to substi- ute crops ttat will involve then. in failure, just as surely as cotton and corn would. Some are going largely Iinto the growing of potatoes, kothers are turning their attention to cante- ,oupes, watermelons, cabhages, etc. 1t does not make so much difference what crops are grown, if they are pro- duced at the lowest cost. and can be marketed at a profit.
 However, it should be remembered that diversification does not mean to quit raising one thing and go to rais- ing another. Under that plan. the same old troubles would be met in q different form. The Lord says in the good book to Seek ye first the king dom of Heaven and all else will be added unto you" In diversifcation it might be as truly said to seek ye first la living at home, then put your surp- lus into any good money crop, and prosperity will be added unto you.
 It is wise to produce, first of all. the necessaries for home and farm use, and then grow the staple crops. such as corn and cotton. Cotton is a good money crop, if not depended on to buy everything else. Corn is a fine surplus crop, If it cannot be sold for cash at a good price it can be fed to stock, and sold at a good price in that way. A bushel of corn will make ten pounds of pork. But corn should not be fed to growing hogs. A little corn fed to growing hogs is all right, but if you depend on corn entirely to grow your hogs, you will lose money. Pasture. sorghum, peas. soy beans. rape, skinned milk, middings, rice polish, etc, are the things to grow hogs with, and corn is the thing to fatten them for the market with.
 Do not go too strong on potatoes and truck, unless you are a truck farmer. Anyway, g variety is bet ter than a singh crop. Get into the stock business as soon and as strong as you can Get hog vaccination started in your neighborhood and stamp hog cholera out You can do it.
 There will not be more than half as much fertilizer used this year as last. The people are too poor to buy it.. There will be no fertilizer or feed in spection after April first, and you should be careful what you buy and patronize only the most reliable firms. The Senate refused to make an appro- priation For inspection or to make an alysis, consequently we can give no protection to the farmers along this line, though every ton of the fertili- ger is taxed twenty-five cents to pay for inspection, and the money will lie in the treasury two years and can not be used for any purpose.
 JOHN H. PAGE,