The Mena weekly star., 1920-03-11
Commercial
 Club
 PiCkupS
xxxxxwxwxxxxwwwxxI
(By '. J. Smith, Secretaryl

most or Lnc time III Llt edSttEu part of the state, came to Polk county as the guest of James A. Slote of Hat field, and while there made two trips to Mena. Since returning home he has written the secretary, that of all the towns he visited none appealed to him like Mena, nor did he find any where else the opportunities for de- velopment that he did in Mena. He is now planning to leave his Nebraska home for this section of Arkansas.
 
 When it was announced last fall by 1 the State Plant Board that there were only twenty-four sweet potato grow CTS in the state that would have cer- tified seed to sell this season, it was 1 thought by many that the growers might take advantage of this condi- tion and charge exorbitant prices for the seed. However, these growers are evidently<more interested in the per- petuation of the sweet potato indus try than they are in making profits because of the monopoly. A Mena grower who has written for prices has had quotation of $2.50 per bushel from some of the growers, and $3 from others, so that it will, after all, not be expensive to use certified seed.
 < *
 c. s. Rockwell, present owner of the Mountain Top Farm, has decided to quit the cattle business and instead will take up the goat raising industry a Ion fn Eo cfa x4& se with at least 300 head. While at Com mercial Club headquarters last week he got in touch with J. F. Newsom, recently appointed agriculturist of the Kansas City Southern railway, who since has advised him that con signment of goats will be on the Kan sas City market the latter part of this month.
 A. F. Lehman, located on the Naler farm near Rocky, was caller at Con- mercial Club headquarters recently to get line on the plans of other farm CTS for the coming season. Mir Leh- mann came to Polk county about two years ago from New Mexico, and af- ter living for a year northeast of Mena, bought the farm. near Rocky, paying $1600 for the same. Now he says he would not sell to brother for less than $4000 He has terraced some of the land, cleaned up the or chards, and is planning to start tame grass pasture.
 
 H. W. Crow of Ashley, H., as a re- suit of correspondence with the sec retary, arrived in Mena on Tuesday of last week. and before being in the city two days had bought a residence on Magnolia avenue thru the Kelly Stratton Company. He expects to be joined soon by Mrs. Crow and five daughters, having made all arrange ments to move to Polk county before leaving home. MT. Crow reports that he came to Mena on the advice of his wife, his choice of a new location hav- ing been Idaho, but since coming here he reports that he is glad he deferred to the judgment of his better half.
 
 Bert Gil.ett and R. F. Schank ar- rived last week from Ottrmwa, Ia.. to locate in Mena, tho they have not yet purchased property The former shipped his goods to Mena and has them stored in the Robert building un- til such time when he can secure suit able property. Mir. Gillett got in touch with the Commercial Club sev- eral weeks ago thru j. H. Tull, for merly agriculturist of the Kansas City Southern railway. ard now state marketing agent.
 k X *
 Mir and Mrs. F. A. Kiene. Jr.. and children of Topeka, Kas., passed thru Mena one day last week on an auto trip to DeQueen, where Mir. kiene has property interests. Mir. Kiene had written Commercial Club headquar- ters last month for information as to auto routes from Fort Smith to Mena. and upon arriving here reported that he had appreciated the information and had profited by it. They came by way of Waldron and the Eagle Gap route. Mir. Kiene is brother of Carl kiene, formerly owner of the resi- dence at the corner of Eighth street and Hickory avenue, and now a res ident of DeQueen.
 * *
 j. A. Kearn of Wickes, while in Mena last week was visitor at Con- mercial Club headquarters, where he was induced to relate some of his ex- i periences since coming to Polk coun- ty seven years ago. He came from lola, kas., and upon arriving at Wickes his assets consisted of his wife, one child and s5 in money. He devoted his attention to berry grow ing, but in the meantime made a good living on the farm, coming into his own in 1918, when the net returns from two acres of strawberries was $400. In 1919, the two acres netted $500 each, and in addition he had a net income of SS37 from three acres of blackberries, while the income from cantaloupes was from S75 to S1OO per acre. He now has in bearing three acres of strawberries and six acres of blackberries. Besides his income from berries he has raised corn and other feed crops. He owns a team, two cows, some hogs and flock of poultry, so he naturally concludes that Polk county has been good to him.
 ~4.. .k. i !