The Carlisle independent., 1920-05-13
ARKANSAS FARMERS BEHIND
 IN FLOWING
About 10 Points Below Last Year In
 Planting

tive crop reporting servlce, just issued | by Charles s. Bouton, field agent, and Jim c. Ferguson, commissioner of az riculture, while showing that in com parison with usual conditions A1kan- sas farmers are behind in their work owing to overabundance of rain and flooded conditions of fields, added to insufficient labor, also shows by com parison with the rest of the United States less disturbance of our agricul- tural industry. Our farmers have done as large Q proportion Of blowing for the number of acres that they will cultivate as year ago, though they l will have a less number of acres in 1 cultivation, while the average of the United States as whole is only 50 per cent, as compared with a 10-year average of TIA. In planting, however Arkansas is 10 points below last year while the country as whole is II points. In the south this condition is largely explained by the fact that the cotton seed supply is limited and the planters are taking no chances of having to replant. so are waiting until conditions are safe.
 In the matter of mortality of live stock MT. Bouton desires to draw spe- cial attention to the fact that owing to open range and poor care losses in all classes of live stock, except sheep, are greater in Arkansas than in the rest of the United States. Owing to our nnilder climate this ought not to be so, but attention is drawn to the comparison of the sheep figures be- cause it indicates that the state is especially favorably adapted by con- parison to the rest Of the country to this industry, for no greater care is exercised with sheep in this state than elsewhere.
 Another favorable feature of the re- port is the larger hay reserves which are ? per cent compared to eight per cent last year. This is to be ex- peeted in view of the good yield of last year.
 Comments and figures on individ- ual items of the report are given be- low and should be of special interest to those interested in live stock fig ares and farming.
 Rye-Only about TO per cent of the rye acreage harvested last year will be cut this year. This was due to in- ability to seed last fail, as also was the case with wheat. The United States as whole seeded TIA of it's previous years acreage. The condi- ton for both the state and the United States is 85 per cent, which does not compare favorably with the condition of 98 at this time a year ago.
 Hay-Owing to labor shortage less total number Of acres will be sown for hay purposes than a year ago, bat in comparative way a larger per cen of farm acreage will be devoted to hay than hitherto. In other words, farmers will put comparatively n1ore time and devote more acreage to the less intensively cultivated crops. The shortage in eowpeas, which was marked year ago, $ still further ac- centuated this year, the price of seed having doubled, and there being far less reserves of cowpeas on farms. The same shortage may be expected with peanuts because bad weather conditions in the fall initiated against harvesting the crop. and hence sleh increases in hay as are made will come about through the seeding of sorghum and of alfalfa and lespedeza.
 With wild hay the high prices for rice will stimulate further seeding of this grain, thus cutting down the wild hay acreage in the rice territories, which are the principal areas of wild hay production. Ninety-seven per cent of last years acreage is expected l to be reserved for hay purposes. For the United States 99.2 per cent will be reserved.
 The condition Of hay meadows in the state is S6, as compared to 93 a year ago. This does not necessarily mean that the promise is less, but ow- ing to the cool weather of the last month meadow grasses. have not made as good growth. The United States figure is S9.4.
 Plowing-The per cent of blowing for spring planting and sowing done by May 1 is just the same in this state as a year ago, namely, S1 per cent. l This percentage has reference though to the total number of acres contenn- plated for cultivation. The United States figure is 60.1, as compared to 72.7 last year, and the 10-year aver age of TIA. Unquestionably, labor shortage is the principal factor in this showing.
 Spring Sowing and Planting-The per cent of the whole work of spring sowing and planting done by May l is 63 for Arkansas, as compared with 73 last year. Fear of loss of cotton seed and of seed corn has undoubtedly de- layed planting of these two principal crops, and accounts in a large meas ure for the lower figure. The same causes are operating in the United States as whole, though labor short age and unusual dryness in the west