The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1931-05-07
STATE Turns FROM
COTTON TO GROWING
own FOOD AND FEED
Raise Your Own Food Now Is
the Demand of Bankers and
Landowners
BUSINESS BOOM EXPECTED
Gardens Are Springing Up
Everywhere in State Which
Red Cross Fed
BUSINESS BOOM EXPECTED

England, Ark, May 7.-tNEA)-
With practically all tillable land
under cultivation, ideal planting
weather, ample finances and innum-
cradle gardens. a great wave of opti-
mism and activity has spread over
Arkansas drought stricken area
where famine stalked a few months
ago.
The black picture Of starvation and
restitution which overran the cotton
belt as a result of drought destroyed
crops last summer, placing hundreds
OF thousands under care OF the Red
Cross, now presents the opposite
view.
Raise your own food now is the
demand of bankers and landowners
around England, where starving ten
ant farmers rioted for food early in
January and thus turned the eyes of
the nation on an area that was then
in hunger and dire distress.
Cotton, formerly four-fifths of the
crop planted, has been reduced to
only three-fifths this spring, with the
other two-fifths in hay, corn, soy
beans and foodstuffs.
An unprecedented business boom is
expected this fall when crops are sold.
Farmers were broke last winter.
Their families were unable to buy
clothes and their livestock died In
large numbers for lack Of feed.
If the new crop brings a good price,
buying will be at least two-fold to
make up for the accumulated de-
mand.
Planters, at last. are urging their
tenants to grow gardens instead Of
living out of tin cans and paper sacks
from the store and necessarily going
hungry when their money was ex-
hausted. They are responding n
Enthusiastically.
Three agencies-intermediate credit
banks, bonus and government feed
and seed loans-have proved boons
to Impoverished planters who, two
months ago, could e no way to fl
nance the new crop. Banks would
not take second mortgages, and first
mortgages, in most instances. were
made in 1890 and not paid off.
Bonus Checks Help
More than $50, 600 in seed and
food loans. 500, 900 in bonus checks
and SIS, 900 in intermediate credit
loans proved adequate to finance
spring planting. within a radius Of
IL miles," says c. E. Hankins, presi-
dent Of the Bank Of England.
Many planters near England lost
heavily when the Citizens Bank and
Trust Co., closed, carrying with it
about $3.50, 900. A new bank has been
organized here and has taken over
liquidation of the defunct institution.
The Red Cross spent 500, 900 in the
England area between Dec. Is and
April l. This kept money circulating
in this rural town of $500 persons.
Grow Food, Feed Now
Everywhere the tide is turning to-
ward crop diversification and home
grown food.
II used to grow only cotton says
j. H. Lawhorn, q large planter OF this
section. II demanded that my ten
ants do likewise. Cotton brings ready
money. The return on a sole crop OF
cotton was so great it justified US IN
buying our feed and food instead OF
growing it.
but the drought taught me a les
son. This year I am planting alfalfa
for nv livestock, clover for my hogs
and sorghum for my tenants. I've
reduced my cotton to 60 per cent OF
my CROP"
Cattle raising will o vie with cot
ton growing around England. planters
predict. Good ~hay-growing land
much pasture and wooded sections
and quick transportation makes this
new field inviting.
Landowner, Tenant Divide
In the past, landowners have OBJ
iected to gardens by tenants, saying
the tenants take all the produce and
they are not reimbursed for n use
of such land. And, they add. expert
ence has proved that tenants won't
cultivate a garden properly, allowing
weeds to smother it. After a land
owner deducts the advances made Il
q tenant during the growing season
he shares one-half of what the ten.
ant gets for his crop.
A new peril struck this area-buf1al<
enats-but is was short-lved. Many
livestock have been killed. Farmers
plowed with buckets OF smoking
smudges hanging from plows to keeT
back the swarms of gnats and Others
creased their mules with q protective
coating Of axle grease.
Gardens-and garden fences-at
everywhere. Practically unheard O
in previous years. gardens are beint
cultivated intensely as Arkansas take'
M chances with another famine.
\
u. S. TO COLLECT 100 PCT.
ON LOANS, SAYS BANKER
Mariana, Ark.,-May 7.-(NEA)-
Business has taken a decided upwart
trend here. says Colonel Edgar 9
robertson, vice president OF Lex
County National bank and dlstr1c
chairman OF drought relief:
"People are more optimistic, fur'
nishine merchants are getting fund
TI(KER