The Mena weekly star., 1917-09-06
ARKANSAS SOON 10. HAVE MODEL FARM
,,,hite Cgn,ictS Filling Great Crops an the l.5S6 Acres Near Tucker, Jefferson County-A Great
 Yield of Cotton and Corn.
By Clio Harper

special to The Star.
 fittIe Rock. Sept. i.-The rare combination of a rich alluvial soil, s,a favorable season, unlimited labor, and a capable manager is producing wonderful results at the state con viet farm near Tucker, Jefferson county. where the white convicts are employed. The people of Arkansas have very hay idea of what has heen done there in the last two wears. and of the greater things that are in course of realization. It is in reality one of the greatest plan tations of the state, where penal conditions are being reduced to an ideality that is credit to the ad- ministrative forces back of it. The state has owned the place only two years. but in the course of the next ten years ii should become one of the show places of the state, as mo- table in it's way as the Minnesota Iu- stifution at Saltwater, which is looked upon as a model for the whole country. One thing that is essential is public confidence in the management, and it's divorcement entirely from political entangle- ments. Ii is said that Saltwater has accomplished that, and it is rapidly being done in Arkansas. When il is removed entirely from political influences, the management will have achieved an efficiency that was lacking for many years.
 There is a total of 1886 acres on Tucker farm. Of this. 2,i00 acres are in cultivation, 300 acres having been cleared since the property was bought from D. B. Niven of Pine Bluff two years ago. Three thou sand acres was bought at $50 an acre, 400 acres at Si0, and eighty acres at s60.
 Judge W. A. Coker, the commits siOner in charge of the farm, is clearly the right man in the right place. He was formerly county judge and sheriff of Drew county, and, it is said that he was among the hest who ever filled those off, ces. He is not seen much in the city, and when a friend recently asked him why he didn't come to Little Rock more he replied that he could not raise any cotton in the lobby of the hotels" He is on the job constantly, and the results show the effect of consistent devotion to duty.
 There is f,6OO acres of cotton, which Judge Coker estimates should yield at least one thousand bales he says he had rather under-esti- mate than to go over. Cotton ex- perts believe that it will average three-fourths of bale to the acre. The cotton is wholly free from the boil weevii. which has wrought such great havoc in cotton on the Cummins farm in Lincoln county.
 There is 600 acres of corn, which C. W. Watson. state demonstration agent, estimates will average 10 bushels to the acre. It is heavily laden with large ears, with two and three ears to the stalk. There is 250 acres of the corn field planted in velvet beans and f50 acres in cow !. peas, which will make a perfect forage crop for the stock as late as February.
 There is 30 acres of ribbon cane, that will make 2,O00 gallons of mo- asses There is i7 acres of Irish potatoes. with a splendid stand, all worked out There is l2 acres of sweet potatoes and 90 acres of cow i. peas for hay. Thirty acres has been planted in turnips for winter use.
 There is more than 9 acres of garden truck Four thousand cans i, of tomatoes have been put up, and i, one day last week 2,000 more empty | cans were received. In all, the farm eannery will put up about 1000 cans of vegetables. Fourteen barrels of | pickles have been put up, also large quantities of kraut. One hundred head of hogs-hog raising has hard ly more than started on the farm will supply part of the meat, and another year or two will see enough | raised to supply the institution with | it's meat.