American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1873-04-26

-. uii. = ,iIt oslI.h> i iut: A..1 $50.
Pearl and other smaller rivers.
While the entire western portion.
west of the YazoO river, from the
northern boundary TO Vecksburg.
and much eveI below that city,
comprising at least two thirds OF
western Mississippi, is one vast.
level, unbroken plain of alluvial
land. This is partly covered with
timber, partly with cane brake, and
is generally known as the swamp
lands of Mississippi. Much ct this
region is in cultivation, and tins
whole country, between the IazOO
and Mississippi rivers, is, according
to ny best knowledge and belief,
the richest land in the world. This
land. properly cultivated. will pro
duce annually bale OF cotton per
acre. 4 bale of cotton is worth
about seventy five dollars. This
alluyial land is rich black loan,
and I'D oae ever has occasion to i'll
quire cato its depth as it is twenty
or thirty feet deep and never wears
out or gets poor. This region. ais"
produces corn equal to the rich
parties of Illinois 1t is generally
understood, an1, SO far as my in
formation and eXperiencr bears teS-
timOny. it is true, that chiHs and
fever are more common in this low
country than in any other portion
of the S ate. One peculiar feature
Of this State is the absence OF stone.
1t wOnld surprise little boy of
PENNSYLVANIA if he were here and
undertook to pick up finger stone
and vOuld hunt in vain for it The
pillow share of the farmer never
comes in contact with rock and
stoae. IS in Pennsylvania. l came
from PENNSYLVANIA here in NOvem-
Der. 1866, and Madison county, in
which l have since made my home.
is situated about the geographical
uaatre of tho State. ContOn. a city
of near four t.iousand inhabitants.
is The county seat The New Or
leans, jackson and Great North
err railroad passes directly through
.his county, and on this we have
two or mere passenger trains both
ncTth and south every day.
We can 20 To New Orleans, the
great commercial metropolis of the
south, and perhaps the greatest
cotton market in the world. in
about nine hours Several other
railroads are in course of construc-
ton in the State and one of them
leads through this county, and
others are projected and in all
probability will soon be built pass
ing through this county. So that
we now have railroad facilities eX-
tending to every part of the county,
and property in some parts of the
county has advanced materially in
value on account of the certainty of
projected sailroads being built
The Big Black river RUS through
this county aboGt six miles west Of
Canton, and the Pearl river passes
about the same distance on the
east of Canton. The Pearl river is
a clear, fast running stream and is
filed with a very grert variety of
fish. The sand Oh the shores of
the Pearl river is as white almost
as the driven snow, and is used by
all the people for building and
pldstering purposes.
TIE SOIL
of this county is generally of the
best quality. Some of the Old
plantations, on some of which
hundreds of slaves operated in
other years, are in some places
poor, being worn continually with
out being manned, hnt know Of!
ell in single year by the proper
application of manure. But the
land generally in Madison is good,
and if it was properly taken care OF
would never get poor. The great
trouble here is that the people who
own land have too much. 1t is not
uncommon for gentleman to Owh
five or six thousand acres of land.
Plantations generally contain from
five hundred to three thousand
acres of land, and since the war
men cannot properly control so
much land, and much of these large
tracts must necessarily remain I'M
cultivated. Some places are prop
erly kept up, fenced. MANFRED aud
cared tor, and it is astonishing to
see what immense crops of corr and
cotton are produced or a few acres.
Messrs. Neathersby & Hoffman of
Canton, have Il farm east of Canton
which is properly managed, ma
nuTed and worked, and it is diff
cult to make men generally believe
the statement of the amount OF
oats, cotton, corn ana other crops
produced on their place. l was az
cnstcEed to farming in PeEnsyiya-
MIA and Tennessee, and in my Gwa
experience of seven years planting
here, can say that l have never
cultivated soil in my life which
takes manure more kindly or pro
duces better for the amount OF la
hor expended than lands III this
county. l manured one half of IL
field on NY place, eight miles south
of this, and the cotton on the ma
nured part grew from cGe to two
feet higher, and the line distin
gushing it rom the remainder CT
the field was as distinct as IA wall.
Where planters cultivate small
crops AMI work them we'll, tLey al
ways make money, and that is the
real key To success here or any
where, and every good f..ner OF
your State Will agree with me in