The Mena weekly star., 1919-12-18
OBSERVATIONS ON POLK COUNTY AS FRUIT PRODUCER
Visitor Sees Adaptability for Growing Early Apples-W. T. Morgan Di- rected Here for Grape Culture-J. D. MeIter Into Raspberries.

You folks about Mena place too low an estimate on the value of your land" was the observation made to the secretary of the Commercial Club by Prof Albert Dickens. head of the horticultural department of the Kan sas State Agricultural College. This observation was made after spending three days in Mena and vicinity and after making a cursory survey Of the soil. elevation, climate and other con ditions relating to the adaptability of this section to apple growing. He went further and stated that if he were free he would ask for no better financial investment than to get back of a corporation of about $50,000 capi- tai to be used in starting an early ap- pie orchard in the Mena territory.
 J. D. Molter, when he returned from Plymouth, Ind, the first of this week brought with him enough raspberry plants to set out two acres, and has still more to come. He will also set out this spring two or more acres Of blackberries and an acre of straw berries Mir. Molter and family are now living on what is known as the branch experiment station on the Bethesda Springs road, and readers interested in the progress of Polk county should watch the development that is going to take place on this farm this spring.
 MT. and Mrs. w. T. Morgan and three children, after spending two years developing an so acre farm near Wickes, sold the same last spring to William Hedge, and three weeks ago moved to Mena, MT. Morgan having bought the D. J. Tucker farm located a mile southeast of Mena. MT. Morgan plans ultimately to put 20 acres of the farm in grapes, and as a starter he Is going to set out 10000 plants this spring, the cuttings having been start ed on the Wickes farm. He will also set out 1 acres of blackberries and an acre of strawberries. MT Morgan is painter and decorator by trade, and as such was employed on he new post office, the lettering on the general delivery and other windows being a sample of his skill and genius. and he promises to put the same thought and skill into his horticultural venture in Polk county
 MT. Morgan reports that he is mak ing the venture on the advice of Will liam P. Stark, well known nurseryman and horticulturist of Missouri. After having made a study of grape growing for six years in the Neosho territory, MT Morgan went to MT. Stark for ad- vice as to the section of the Ozark country best adapted to grape culture on a commercial scale. The fruit man told him in substance that from his ex perience and investigation in Missouri and Arkansas the best place to go in to the grape growing business was in Polk county, Arkansas
 While stock in the proposed straw berry farm has not been advertised for sale, yet an inquiry for purchase of stock came to the Commercial Club of flee Wednesday from Pickering, La, the inquiry beng made by Mrs J. c. Musgrove, formerly resident of Hat field.
 At the request or the secretary, COn- gressman Otis Wingo is having sent to the Commercial Club office a sup ply of bulletins on Home Gardening in the South, the most recent publica- tion issued on that line by the U. s. Department of Agriculture. On the ar rival the bulletins will be for free dis tribution.
 John Combs in from his Foran Gap farm one day this week reported that he and his family are planning to help combat the high cost of living by de- voting their attention chiefly to butter making and poultry raising.