The Huttig news., 1917-02-03
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GOOD TIME TO HAVE SOIL TESTED.

Arkansas farmers should have their soil tested in the fields upon which they expect to put fertilizers before they buy their fertilizers this year. Now is a good time to gather the samples so that there will be no delay in getting report before preparation for spring work begins. The soils laboratory at the Agricultural Experimental Station. which was established during the past year, makes it possible for all farmers to have their soil examined free of charge. All samples sent to the laboratory will be tested for acidity and examined with refer ence to their physical condition. They will also be tested for the or ganic matter they contain and general estimate will be made Of their fertility.
 Farmers who desire to send samples to the laboratory should be very careful in selecting these samples in order that they will rep resent in general the soils to be found on the farm and will cover  large areas. In selecting these samples. do not take quantitels of soil from the best spot on the farm nor from the poorest. but endeavor to make the samples represent the average conditions. A good way to get an average sample of soil is to go into the field when the soil is not too wet to blow and take out a narrow stip of soil, digging down about six inches. Dig straight down so the quantity of soil taken from the sixth inch will be about the same as taken from the surface. This method will give you a uniform sample which will be a great help in making an accurate test. These samples should be placed in clean dry pail and mixed thoroughly. After the sam ples have been mixed, pound should be weighed out and placed in a clean cloth sack and allowed to dry. When this sack of dirt is dry, it should be sent by parcel post to the Department of Agrono- my, Agricultural Experiment Station, Fayetteville, Ark.
 The owners name and address should be placed on each package of soil sent in. If more than one sample is sent, each should be giv- en number a record kept of these numbers. A letter should follow the soil sent in. giving the following information concerning the land from which the soil is taken; name of the township. the range, the sec ton and the quarter section. It should also give the approximate number of years the land has been in cultivation, the crops that have been grown on the land from which the soil was taken and the approxi mate yields of the various crops grown. Soils will be tested in the order in which they are received; consequently, there should be no delay on theNpart of those who wish to get an answer soon. For fur ther information write to the Ex- pertinent Station, Fayetteville.
 NEW SERIOUS COTTON PEST.
 Four hundred car loads of cotton seed have already been traced from Mexico into Texas. There is much fear among the cotton men of the South that through these shipments the dreaded Egyptian Pink boil worm in Mexico, which was announced by the U. s. De- partment of Agriculture in Novem- Der, may be introduced in the state. The situation brings the cotton in- terests of Arkansas face to face with the biggest problem that has eyer confronted them when we realize that the boil weeva which has caused so much trouble in the past few years was introduced Tn this way. Arkansas is one Of the fau, etatac ir, tba | lnipn mhich does