The Dermott news., 1919-02-06

lana and Mississippi and report as
to their suitability for sheep and cattle
raising. quote from the report of
this committee as follows:
There is no doubt in the minds of
your committee that there is no place
in the United States that offers better
opportunities to the man who wants to
combine farming and stock raising
Now that the tick menace has been
controlled, | know of no other section
that offers better opportunities to the
! cattle man than southeastern Arkansas.
The climatic advantage of being able to
keep the cattle out all the year around,
and to grow all the corn, hay and root
crops necessary for forage when needed,
is apparent to the most causal observer
found that public opinion in Arkan
sas was being created in favor Of en-
acting stringent dog laws; 1t should be a
part of the work of the Southeastern
Arkansas Development Bureau to foster
this opinion.
The foregoing refers to the low or
delta lands of southeastern Arkansas
which are being drained and made
ready for farming as rapidly as circum-
stances will permit. | heard little or
nothing of malaria while | was there
The high lands in the vicinity of Montl-
cello and other parts of southeastern
Arkansas have considerable agrlcultur
al value and are we'll adapted to the
growing of peaches, strawberries and
other berries. All that is needed to
make this business successful IL the
adoption of up-to date methods
In this connection | was pleased to
notice that the people of Arkansas are
waking up to the fact that the old rule
of thumb ways of farming which they
have been following for so many years
in nearly all branches of agriculture
and animal husbandry must give way
to the newer and more scientific meth
eds which have proved successful else
where To this end the counties are
employing agricultural agents. mostly
graduates of agricultural colleges
More than half of the - counties IN the
state now have these county agents at
work. | think all of the four counties
IN the Southeastern Arkansas Develop
ment Bureau are employing agrlcultur-
al agents
Some time age the Chamber OF Com
Al II
agricultural adviser. a man named Colt
rell at a salary of ST. 600 year and
provided him az we'll with an expense
fund of SIS O00
The question of highways is recelv-
ing a good deal of attention. as you
doubtless know. the state has voted a
bond ISSUE of about 81 thu, coo 90 with
which to improve the existing trunk
line roads and build new ones Work is
nov being pushed ON a neW north and
south highway which will pass through
Rissvile Mr. Moeller has his plans
aid 10 take advantage Of the benefit
this road will bring TO the town and &c
the entire region one Of the results
ACQUIRING from the building Of this high
way viii be the enhancing Of the value
of the land holdings of the Bliss Cook
Oak Company at least $500 per acre.
Mr.. Moeller took me through the
Bliss Cook lands on hand ear was
greatly impressed by the wonderful
opportunities for agricultural develop
ment which II possesses. agree with
Mr. Moeler : views as TO group settle
ment. encouraging animal husbandry
etc
Messrs Moeller and Robinson have
been at work getting information for
the Department of the Interior at
Washington about the lands in south
eastern Arkansas which are available
turning soldiers and sailors The day
| left Dermott they had started 10 Sc
cure options on the lands which they
had already listed
Because of the influenza epidemic We
were unable TO complete cur itinerary
We held meetings in all of the four
counties, however showed moving
pictures of Michigan and told the people
that if we had the soil, climate and
other advantages in northern Michigan
that they have in southeastern Arkan-
sas. onr progress would have been much
greater than it ls One of the troubles
in Arkansas il that results are obtained
with so little exertion comparatively.
that inertia or just plain oldfashioned
laziness has set IN and become chronic
in most cases. If | were ten wears
younger and were not tied up as | am
now. would go to southeastern Arkan.
sas and make competence in from To
10 years There are no better oppor