CHAPTER XX.

TONTITOWN, ARK., NORTH ITALIAN FRUIT GROWERS AND GENERAL FARMERS.

INTRODUCTION.

The Italian farming community of Tontitown is situated among the Ozarks in Washington County, Ark. About thirty years ago the locality was a wilderness similar to thousands of acres that to-day lie idle in the Ozark regions of Arkansas and Missouri. Only a small portion of the land was cultivated and the farms were few and scattered. The Italians came in the late nineties from Sunnyside, Ark., a region where malaria then prevailed, to seek refuge in the more healthful altitudes of northwest Arkansas. There they have found health and prosperity and founded one of the most successful farming communities of the southwest.

Tontitown to-day differs little in aspect from any prosperous American community. Most of the land around the town is cleared and set out in apples, peaches, and grapes. The orchards, together with the natural beauty of the locality, give an Italian aspect to the landscape, and it is not at all strange that the Italian ambassador, after viewing the surroundings, asked if he was really in America or in Italy itself.

At the time the Commission's inquiry was made, 1909, the colony numbered 70 families, all of whom came originally from northern Italy. The total number of people in the community was approximately 400.

Small farms, some only 20 acres, none larger than 80 acres, are the rule, and rapid progress is being made in clearing the land and planting apple, pear, and peach orchards. Many acres of vineyards have been set out. The grapes are made into wine, both for home and commercial uses. The orchards are in bearing, bringing in valuable returns. The Italians raise annually quantities of early vegetables that are consumed locally or shipped to northern cities.

The houses are neat frame buildings and all the surroundings present an appearance of prosperity and thrift, a decided contrast to hundreds of neighboring acres of good land throughout the Ozarks that are waiting the coming of hard-working pioneers to transform them from a waste into fertile farms.

HISTORY OF SETTLEMENT.

Father Pietro Bandini, the resident priest and the founder of the colony, traveled through Arkansas in 1896. At this time Italian laborers were being sought for in large numbers to work on the cotton plantations of the Mississippi Delta region, and Father Bandini was sent to investigate conditions there and elsewhere in the South 48296°-VOL 21-11-24

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and Southwest. While passing through Arkansas he was struck with the possibilities of the Ozark region as a fruit-growing section, and the idea occurred to him that it might be an ideal locality for Italians.

In the previous year, 1895, the first Italian settlers had come to Sunnyside, but, as stated in Chapter XVII, dissatisfaction with conditions there led to the early departure of many of the first settlers. Some of these went to Knobview, Missouri, and others, under the leadership of Father Bandini, migrated to what is now Tontitown.

When the settlers at Sunnyside became dissatisfied Father Bandini, having in mind the region that impressed him so favorably two years earlier, started on a tour of inspection. After viewing a large range of territory, he at last found a suitable site with sufficient available land near Springdale, Ark., and secured options on some of the land for $3 per acre, making the first payment from his own resources. Returning to Sunnyside, he collected 15 families and in the spring of 1898 took them to the region which he had selected for the new settlement. Before they were settled 40 more families came from Sunnyside. No provision had been made for this second colony, who arrived penniless, all their money having been spent in paying their fare from Sunnyside to Springdale. The first 15 families had to submit to crowding in order to make room for the newcomers.

The first land was bought for $3 per acre, but as soon as the landowners in the vicinity realized that the land would be taken at any price they raised it to $15 per acre, requiring a certain percentage in cash, the remainder to be paid within three years with interest at 6 per cent.

This

After building a few rough cabins of poles and logs to protect the women and children from the cold, the men and older boys went into the coal mines of Kansas and Missouri to earn enough money during the winter months to make their next payment on the land. first winter was trying-without doubt the most severe the Italians had ever passed. Still, in spite of the cold and the blizzards that partly filled their poorly-constructed cabins with snow, the old men, women, and children managed to live until spring.

The newcomers, moreover, met with nothing but hatred from the native farmers. The arrival of the poor, sickly Italians angered the whole neighborhood, and neither sympathy nor aid was extended them. The opinion prevailed among the natives that one winter would be all the Italians could stand and that in the summer they would abandon their land and allow it to revert to the former owners. The settlers had very little money to spend for food and many of them would have starved during the first winter had it not been for the rabbits and other game that they caught in traps. This game furnished the settlers with the only meat, sometimes the only food, they had during the winter months.

In the spring the men and boys returned home with money enough. to make their second payments, and preparations for farming began in earnest. Land was soon cleared and gardens were planted with many varieties of vegetables. The colonists set out a few grapevines and planned large vineyards, obtaining from their friends in Italy cuttings of the Italian varieties of grapes. Grapes had not been cultivated in the neighborhood until introduced by the Italians. Next, they set out several varieties of apples and peaches, following the plans of the native farmer. Coming from the vineyard and

orchard sections of Italy, fruit culture was not new to them. They also had shoots of the Italian willow sent over; these grew rapidly and to them they tied their vines.

At first the colony numbered 250 people, counting the two groups that first came, and they had control of 800 acres of land. Much of this land was covered with brush and trees, and considerable work was required to put it into cultivation. The allotments were not large, there being about 10 acres, all told, to a family, which they cleared one acre at a time. They now own over 2,000 acres (onehalf of it under cultivation), having a total valuation of nearly $150,000. In 1909 there were 70 Italian families in the colony, numbering, practically, 400 persons.

During the first two years of the colony's existence, the second party of 40 families moved away in groups of two or three families, leaving the original number. Since these deserters had come uninvited and without money, it is not surprising that they soon became dissatisfied and moved to other localities, most of them returning to the cotton districts. Except for these desertions the colony has grown. slowly since its origin, drawing people from other sections of the United States, rather than immigrants direct from Italy. After the town was fully under way, it was decided to name it Tontitown, after Henry de Tonti, an Italian nobleman, a follower of La Salle, who, it is said, was the first Italian to explore and settle in Arkansas. Father Bandini usually receives one or more letters every day from Italians who have heard of the colony and desire to know of the chances for obtaining land. These letters come from Italians in all occupations and employments, but the colony wants farmers or men with enough money to buy farms, because, after all, farming without money proves too difficult for the average Italian immigrant.

Of the total number of families in the colony, other than the pioneer settlers, 10 came direct from Europe because they had relatives here; 5 came from eastern cities. The great majority of families came immediately from the sugar plantations of Louisiana or from the cotton plantations along the Mississippi River in Arkansas and Mississippi. Within the past two years several new families have moved in from other parts of the United States. Most of the cheap land has been taken up, but, by going some distance away from the town, land similar to the original purchase may be found, though the price has greatly advanced within the past few years.

TOPOGRAPHY AND SOIL.

Tontitown lies within the limits of the Ozark Plateau, bounded on all sides by hills. The country seems to consist of a series of low hills interspersed with lowlands; these hills are being covered with fruits of various kinds, while the lower land is given over to the production of cereal crops. The entire area is well watered, springs being abundant and the natural drainage excellent.

The following figures relative to climatic conditions are from the record of the official station at Fayetteville, which is about 14 miles south of the town. The range of temperature over a long period is wide, the lowest recorded in the years 1890-1908 being 24° below zero, and the highest 107° above. However, the temperature by seasons is as a rule uniform and the warmest months of the year are

not unbearable. In the past twelve years the average date of the first killing frost in autumn has been Ŏctober 27, and the last spring frost April 14. The earliest date of a killing frost in autumn was October 10, and the latest in spring was May 9.

Average monthly and annual temperature and precipitation, Fayetteville Station, Arkansas. [United States Department of Agriculture Summary of Climatological Data of the United States, sec. 48.]

The soils found in this area are described briefly as follows: The surface soil of the Clarksville silt loam consists of silt loam from 9 to 14 inches deep, ranging in color from light gray to dark gray. When dry and well broken up, the silty surface soil is very mellow, friable, and easy to work, but when moist it becomes compact and very hard to cultivate. This soil is the most important soil type found in this locality and is generally well drained, maintaining a favorable supply of moisture for growing crops. It is well adapted to corn, wheat, oats, and grass crops, but most of it has been farmed so continuously that its vitality has been exhausted. Wherever the topography is suitable, the type is well adapted to apple culture. Peaches, strawberries, raspberries, etc., all do well, and the quality of fruit grown is excellent."

The surface soil of the Clarksville stony loam consists of a gray silt or silt loam from 6 to 12 inches deep, the subsoil being a silty clay. The surface of the soil is loose and friable, the stones in a measure preventing it from packing as readily as the Clarksville silt does. This soil is well drained; in fact on numerous steep slopes surface drainage is so rapid that the soil washes badly. The least stony parts are only moderately well adapted to the general farm crops grown there. None of the small grains is profitable, but corn, clover, cowpeas, and the grasses are grown with success. Large areas, however, wherever the topographical position is suitable, are well adapted to the production of apples and peaches, and also to small fruit, where the soil is not too stony.

The Wabash silt loam is easy to cultivate when in good condition, but its location in the "bottoms" causes it to become unworkable for a considerable period after a rain. The soil has been derived from alluvial deposits carried from the limestone uplands. Corn averages 40 bushels, wheat 20 bushels, and oats 30 bushels per acre

on this land. The Italian settlement is situated on all three types of soil, but most of the farms are on the first two mentioned. The Italians own the best "orchard" soils in the neighborhood.

AGRICULTURAL CONDITIONS.

Before the civil war this area was cultivated by wasteful pioneer methods and some of the land has been continuously cropped since that period. Part of the land purchased by the Italians was in an exhausted condition and the rest of it was thickly timbered. The Italians began by first cultivating the cleared land; then, as additional houses and barns were needed, they cut the trees, converted them into buildings, and cleared the less-improved areas. During the first few years the newcomers relied on the money received from the sale of strawberries and vegetables to make partial payments on their farms. The returns from the farms were supplemented by the earnings of the men and boys, who continued to return to the mines each winter.

The vines set out each year soon produced large quantities of grapes, most of which, by Italian methods, are made into sour wine. Each settler has a small storehouse, built under ground, in which he keeps his wine. In this locality wine sells at from 75 cents to $1 per gallon, and it is said that an acre of grapes will yield from 200 to 300 gallons of red wine.

As the colony grew, the apple and peach orchards began to produce, until now many of the Italians are able to derive comfortable incomes from their fruit alone. The fruit industry in northwest Arkansas has developed wonderfully within the past quarter of a century and the Italians have been able to profit by this development. The strawberry industry has grown enormously. Following the general custom, the plants are set in the spring, at a distance of 18 to 20 inches, in rows 3 feet apart. Soil and location play an important part in the productiveness of this crop, and by exercising care in these two particulars good yields are obtained. Red and blackcap raspberries are grown to some extent.

The acreage of peaches is probably less than that of apples. The Elberta peach is the commercial variety, but other varieties are also being grown extensively. A full crop is obtained, however, but once in three or four years. Frequently apple trees are interplanted with peach trees and when the apple trees are full grown the peach trees are cut down. The steady growth of apple plantings prior to 1901, and the profitable crop of that year, brought Tontitown into considerable prominence as an apple center, but the years following were not repetitions of this profitable one, owing to climatic conditions. Most of the upland soil is well adapted to apple production, and the Italians have some of the best sites in this section.

The Ben Davis is the chief apple grown, and practically 75 per cent of the apples produced are of this variety. It is of good color and quality, ships well, and is very prolific. The Jonathan and Winesap are produced to some extent, and these are of good color and keep well. During the first few years of fruit farming Tontitown farmers paid little attention to pruning, spraying, and fertilizing, but recently