The Mena weekly star., 1921-05-26
FARM NOTES D. Inta.nr A SIntn
By James A- Slote

 $250,O00 from H D Watson of Neb- rsaia for the purpose of buying small farm homes for deserving youne men 0f no financial means. The plan, as outlined. will in ten years restore the fund and give che young man his farm and stock clear Mir. Watson also received the thanks of the Leg islature of Nebraska for adding many millions to the yearly wealth of the state by demonstrating the feasibility 0f growing alfalfa on the high dry land Polk county just missed this bequest. but in 2 different form. Mir. Watson making two trips here, his inability to get LOGO to I,S00 acres in one body preventing, in the locality he desired, namely Two Mile valley, some of the small holders refusing to sell at any price power dam and other improvements were planned at the mouth of Two Mile. where a great part of the natural dam already eX ists Mir. Watson, who is a national figure and intimately acquainted with all parts of the United States, says he really believes there are more op- portunities for the young man right here in Polk county than any other part of the United States, besides other natural advantages in the way of climate, water, health, etc. Another thing Mr Watson was loud in his plaze of and that was The Mena Star. He on several occasions asked the writer if the people here appreciated the fact they had one of the best county papers in the United States. He was a subscriber to his paper while he had a permanent place of .esi- dence.
 L. W Dougherty is busy hunting the mother lode as his farming oper- ations permit. An assay of samples recently sent away show manganese and zinc.
 Mir Arnold, living one-half milo Northeast of town, reports apples and peaches enough for home use.
 Cabbage, peas, beans, turnipS, car. rots. beets and new potatoes arc now appearing daily on the table, Frank Rork, as usual, got the start of most of us by two weeks with cabbage. and 10 days az .4s had green beans in quantities. These vines were covered with earth during the April freeze.
 Thursday and Friday were dipping days. This was the second dipping date and cattle are coming in remark ably clean, and there are but few who are now dipping, who would go back to the scratching tick infested days of a few years back Those who value their stock seem willing to dip. Others are disposing of them like many own CTS Of range hogs, who now, that oth' CTS have refused to fed them, don't value them enough to prepare 6 pas ture or care for them, and this is as 1t should be. If you are opposed to dipping there is an easy way out, just dispose of your stock for wear or two, get rid of dipping, get rid of taxes. get interest, put your thumb to your nose and wiggle your fingers.
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 Have you noticed the great spread of clovers the past few years as the range hog has been growing scarcer. These beasts whose capacity for turn ing over dirt is only rivaled by the steam shovel, not only ate the top, but turned t up and ate the roots as we'll
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 Owing to several hard freezes, oats which are now heading, will not be so tall as usual.
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 $l00 per day, which has been paid farmers at Hatfield for the past six months for poultry products. has every prospect for being doubled for the same time next year. Remembr the Polk county hen is laying her best when eggs are highest
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 One of the truck crops which is be- ing overlooked by most here is that early succuient vegetable, asparagus 1t seems especially adapted to this sandy loam soil and cur rainy carly spring. It comes on the Kansas City market when prices are better, the first this spring bringing S4 per dozen punches, and the last from here being the cleanup brought $2. just as the main California shipments came on the market This crop has never failed us in the past 10 years.
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 A number of cattle have died on the range with strange disease. For want of a better name it is being called black tongue.
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 Many farmers were pleased to read of the tax commissioners instructions to assessors not to inquire too closely regarding cotton held over by farm CTS, however, as Sam Pottorf says, it is small loss or gain either way at the present price of cotton.
 
 Mir. Keith, living F miles North of Hatfield, reported ripe blackberries Saturday. These were of the McDon- aid variety of which he has q nice planting, but wishes he had many times that many. Most briar fruits do we'll here even, the wild black berry is a winner. An acre set to these best wild ones will produce more revenue with less work and easier cultivation than most small fruits, and the demand has never been supplied. They are good shippers and the best canners. Year after year these have been a source of revenue and food on our place. For instance last year the ragged edge of our cherry orchard produced 15 cases of blackberries which were sold at $5.50 per case, the best days picking was June 21st, when one picker gathered A quarts. which sold for 25 cents per quart. All not sold fresh were immediately canned in tin. These were sold and the final checks deposited in the bank of Hat field on August 24. making n tota1 of