The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1878-07-10
REPORT OF STATE BOARD
Of HmHAGR AND
AGRICULTURE

r., II. Er',eucy Gorernor u N. Stone:
I'm obedience to the requirements of the
At eff # rcl the 4th, 1873, establishing
tI. State B14rd of Immigration and A gri-
,rrtg-r. tie Board has the honor to sub
ult lie GLOWING report:
IMMIGRATION.
Immediately after the Commissioner of
immigration and Agriculture entered upon
-as 8u-lr. of his office as President of the
Board. be called a meeting on the 4th of
tr-i 1873 as the Office of the Secretary of
State The Board was duly organized by
e,ertfrs tile Hon. Kinloch Falconer Secre-
tarr. The Board then proceeded to bust
mo-. bF- appointing as Immigration Agents
w. T. aud c. X. BDdix, Bloomington, H.
Dr. f. Fitzhuzh, Indianapolis, Ind; r. w
H5gaiug Memphis Tenn, and the Rev. A.
TIL Whitney. Hazlehurst, Miss
THESE gents depend upon the commits
siar- received from the sale Of lands in the
State for their remuneration. The Agents
for Illinois. Indiana, ard Ohio, have made
favorable reports up to the 18th of June,
1875. They state, there is great inquiry
for information as to character and price of
lands in Mississippi, and that a large num-
Der of farmers and capitalists will visit the
State this fall, for the purpose of looking at
lands with a view ofinvestmg in the same"
A PAPER PUBLISHED BY THE BOARD.
To meet this inquiry, and to answer the
vast number of letters received by the
Commissioner of immigration, the Board
thought il advisable to publish a paper
setting forth the advantages and resources
of Mississippi. A contract was made with
Ne--r- Power 4 Barksdale, State Printers
for 10000 copies of paper, the size of the
CLAaToN, at a cost off 1885 90. This pa
par Will be ready for free distribution in a
few day., and Will answer in the most effec
tive manner the question of all those con
tempHting the purchase of lands and per-
mauent settlement in Mississippi.
RAILROAD TRANSPORTATION.
The President, under the instruction of
the Board has effected arrangements for
excursionists and immigrants, with all the
leading railroads in the State, at half fare
rates for excursionists, and two cents per
mile for immigrants as permanent settlers.
The Board is encouraged to think, not
outstanding, the meagre appropriation by
Legislature, which cripples the operations
of the Board, measures have been taken to
induce a large immigration into the State
The tide Of imm igratlOn seems to be turn
ing southwark and every effort will be
made to secure share of it to Mississippi.
4 RECORD OF LANDS FOX SALE.
In compliance with the law a record is
kept in the office of the Commissioner OF
immigration and Agriculture of all the
lands for sale in the State, that may be for
warded to that office The papers giving a
description Of the lands, after being record
ed, are filed separately by counties, so that
person wishing to purchase lands in any
county in the State can be Immediately in
formed, who has land for sale in each coun-
tv. Statements of these lands with the
names and postotfice address, are sent to all
the agents at the North and West, thus null
tiplying the opportunities for the sale of
the same. 1t Is therefore to the interest of
the landowners to send, as soon as possible.
to tine Commissioners office a full descrip-
ton of the lands they have for sale.
AGRICULTURE.
In creating the Board of immigration and
Agriculture the Legislature contemplated
hat agriculture should be one of its most
prominent features, Here again the mea-
greness of the appropriation ties the hands
Of the Board, and it is only by degrees that
the great questions affecting the vast farming
interests Of the State can be laid before the
farmers.
CROPS IN MISSISSIPPI FOR 1873.
Reports have been received from sixty
five counties in the State.
cotton Cr0D-AbOut two per cent. more
area has been planted in cotton than last
year. Forty-eight out of sixty-tive counties
report too much rain for cotton and the crop
not good, by fifteen per cent, as last year.
Eleven report same Us last year and six bet
ter than last year.
Corn Crop-About ten per cent. more
planted than last year. Thirty-tive coun-
ties report corn crop twelve per cent. better
I.,.t - hn lc
last year and fourteen about ten per cent.
worse than last year
ont Cr0p-All the counties report fine
oat crop made, that will average ten per
cent. more than last year
HIy Crop-All report the hay crop good
and estimate that twenty-five per cent. more
Will be saved than last year.
Wheat Crop-All reports agree that the
wheat crop is not as good as last year, owing
to too much rain and rust injuring it.
FRUIT CRoP.-Not so good as last year,
owing to heavy rains, very much injured
and therefore selling at lower prices. Large
shipments of fruit to New Orleans, St.
Louis and Chicago, are being made from
points on the Chicago, st. Louis and New
Orleans Railroad. The best fruit growers
estimate the proceeds from this source will
reach to $l50,000 on this railroad. Inc
fruit growers ON the Mobile and Ohio Kali
to Mobile, st. Louis and Chicago, and the
amount of sales for that line is estimated at
100000
Early TeqetabIes.-Along the lines of our
railroads are fast becoming articles OF
commercial value Large shipments have
been, and are being made of Irish potatoes,
tomatoes, cabbages, &c.
STOCK.
Sheep-husbandry is beginning to receive
deserved attention throughout the State,
and large increase of improved breeds
have been imported into the State.
HogS.-The reports from nearly every
county in the State, say, that at least fifty
per cent. more hogs are being raised this
year than at any time since the war. This
Is an encouraging fact, as from statistics
compiled in 1878, the farmers of our State
expended over $7,00O,000 for pork and ba-
con, in these items alone, there will be a
saving of over 81, 100000.
CattLe.-Much more attention Is now
oelng paid to the raising of improved COWS
and beef cattle. Many of our Northern
and Western friends, who have become
permanent settlers in the State, have intro
duced improved breeds of all kinds OF
stock. The Board would make honorable
mention of Mr. John Smithmier, now OF
Pike county, Miss, formerly from near
Nlncennes, Indiana, who has introduced
INTO the State improved norses, sneeP
cattle and hogs, and who is of the opinion
they can be raised more cheaply and more
proftably in Mississippi than in Indiana.
Upon the whole, the Board of lmmlgra-
ton and Agriculture, would report, thai
The general outlook for the State, both as e
immigration and agriculture, il encourag
ing. Respectfully submitted by
Z. G. WALL, President.
JACKSON, MISS, July l, 1873.
Population of mississippi.