The courier-index., 1921-06-03
ROzU q WOrn-OzIt
 Soil is Built Up
Mr. Rast Praises Work of Lee County Denomination Agent.


 Little Rock, May 30.-Many small farms and large plantations are un- cultivated in Lee county this year, according to L. E. Rast, agronomlst of the Southern Soil Improvement Committee, who has offices with the Arkansas Profitable Farming Bureau of the Little Rock Board of Commerce and who recently made an auto tour of Lee county in com pany with H. Nj. Cottrell, agricul- turist of the Profitable Farming Bureau.
 MT. Rast says that the cotton crop in Lee county has been reduced 25 per cent on the farms that are under cultivation. He says that more corn, clover and oats were planted than ever before and that good results have been obtained from use of fertilizer, but the farmers do not have the money to buy it. Hundre Is of acres of sweet potatoes have been planted and the business men have agreed to erect storage and curing houses to take care of the crop.
 Worn-Out Farm Made Fertile.
 "One of the best demonstrations ever made in Arkansas" says MT. Rast, lis being conducted by E. B. Whitaker, county agent. Judge j.. A. Hummer of Marianna purchased an abandoned farm that was consid- cred worn out, and c. W. Evans, the manager, says it had gullies in it 10 feet deep and that had bridges over them. All the top soil was washed away and the clay subsoil had baked in the sun until it was 50 hard that blowing was almost inn possible. In 1919 the best corn on the place only made 12 bushels per acre. The county agent was asked to outline system of rotations and methods of cropping and fertiliz- ing that would improve the soil to where profitable yields could be ob tained.
 MT. Whitaker had terraces made to stop the soil from washing. The fields were laid out for planting to various crops, the land was plowed deep and the best acres planted in corn. He suggested the use of
 
 and last year the yield was increased from 12 bushels per acre to 35 bushels per acre. The poor hill sides were planted in cowpeas and piowed under to add organic matter to the land. Small patches of clover were sown to see if it would be a profitable crop. To one acre 20 tons of suitable manure, four tons of limestone and 600 pounds of acid phosphate was applied and the land planted in alfalfa. This did so well that two more acres of alfalfa were planted last fail.
 ''This year the planted areas con- sist of 25 acres of red clover, 30 acres of corn, IT acres of qowpeas, 15 acres of lespedeza, 15 acres of oats, three acres of alfalfa and no cotton. Eight acres of the red clov- CT were sown with wheat as a nurse crop with nitrate of soda used as a top dressing, all of this to be used for pasture, but the wheat is such a good crop that Judge Hummer has about decided to harvest it and make flour. There is a perfect stand of red clover on the land and it will make two cuttings of hay be- fore winter.
 'The corn is all planted from pure seed of the Meals Paymaster variety, using 400 pounds of fer tilizer per acre before planting, and additional fertilizer has been pur- chased to make a side application of 100 pounds of nitrate of soda later. This will add enough nitrogen to bring the yield up to 45 bushels per acre. Peas will also be planted in the corn to improve the soil.
 ''The lespedeza was planted on rongh land for pasture and now sup phes grazing for the cattle and 50 Poland China hogs.
 Planters Seek Agents Advice.
 "This is one Of the many small farm demonstrations that is showing wonderful results from plans out lined by the county agent, whose