The patron of husbandry. (Columbus, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1879-08-23

Temperance Hill, Aug. 10
DE SOTO COUNTY, MISSISSIPPI.
REPORT OF THE AGRICULTURAL COMMIT
TEE OF THE COUNTY GRANGE.
Worthy Master There are 2o7, 900 acres
of land in this county, over half of which
is open and in cultivation. 1t is thought
that one fourth of the open land is laying
| out in broom sedge and gullies; Ia, 900
acres are being TILED this year, about one
half of this in cotton, the other half in
corn, wheat and oats-5o,ooo acres in
corn, 900 in wheat, and 10000 iii oats;
about the same in cotton and corn as last
year. There is decrease in wheat.
There are 1880 work horses in the
county, and 2,03o work mules as a gene
| raj thing they look very badly There are
5000 head of cattle of all kind, 1850
hogs, and some $500 sheep. The 297, 900
acres of land IN this county are capable of
raising all the cotton, corn, wheat, oats,
etc, that we ought to raise, and pasture at
least one sheep to every 5 acres, which
would give us nearly 10000 adding
very materially to our prosperity. But to
raise sheep, we need better protection
from the 5000 dogs in the county. These
dogs, at 20 cents week each, cost us in
breadstuffs $50, o 20 year, beside the sheep
they kill.
From the best information we can get,
there were $1,000 acres in cotton last year,
which produced $4,000 (45o b) bales.
and sold at cents, which brought $780,
900; 10000 bushels seed, at Ioc. per bu.,
$4,000, in all $4,000. Cost of produc-
ton, $79S,2so, leaving balance of $I76,-
| $50 for rent, or S2.64 per acre.
| There were $1,000 acres in corn last
year. The yield, 675, 1000 bushels, at soc.
per bushel, $337,5oo. Cost of produc-
ton, $2o2, 800, leaving $4,000, or 81 for
rent per acre,
The estimate of the wheat crop of last
year is $4,000 bushels; at ST. per hpshel,
1884, 100. Cost of production-labor,
seed, etc.-$41, 49, leaving for rent, $43,-
23o, or 5000 per acre.
The oat crop was near &c, 900 acres; the
yield, 10000 bushels; at 4oc. per bushel,
$64, 1850; cost of production, 500, 800, leav-
ing $34,5oo for rent, or $3,45 per acre.
Now, Worthy Mastef, you see from
these figures that it pays better in proper
ton to raise wheat and oats-to diversity
our erops-than to raise all cotton and
| corn.
We see in the census report of 1870 that
of the population of Mississippi, about 81
per cent are tillers of the soil. Their ave-
rage production per annum is, or was
then, $3.50 per capita, while In some of
the other States, with no better soil, the
earnings are double that amount, This
difference is owing to the greater diversity
ofindustries and products: hence, the i'm
portance of our pursuing a similar policy.
| "Agriculture is said to be a civilizer,
and the price of land a test of the civilza-
ton and advancement of a country; and
labor on land prime source of wealth"
Yet landed influences and farming inter
ests are being overshadowed by the selfish
but successful combination of smaller in
| terests; so much so, indeed, that our realty
seems to be losing its value.
The total valuation of all the land in
De Soto county in 1875 was 5000, SO;
this year it is between 81, 900 and 81
| 10000. But there is better day COM
| ing. L. A. DODSoN,
Chairman Committee on Agriculture.
If the farmers of DeSoto county would
take the trouble TO ascertain what they
would save by conducting their business
affairs on the cooperative plan, they
would at once commence the establish
| ment of cooperative stores. They paw
| the merchants from 10 to 25o per cent
profit on everything they purchase, and
sell their produce at cash prices, seldom
realizing profit of more than Ave per
cent over the cost of production.
Ihey would also be startled at the inn
mense sum they are annually losing by
selling their cotton in the raw form, if
| they would ascertain what they would
save by converting their cotton into yarns.
Letus see. The cost TO the producer on each
pale, from the field to the distant factory,
is at least $2o-and this is very low es
innate. At this figure, the farmers of
DeSoto pay annually on their $4,000 bales,
100000. That comes out of their tot,
and goes into the pockets of the middle
men. Now to establish "new process"
factories sufficient to convert this cotton
into yarns would cost about 100000 The
cotton at cents brings 100000; If con-
verted into yarns, it would be more than
doubled in value, say 81 100000.
The farmers of DeSoto, and of every
other county in the Southwest. should
give earnest attention to these great ques-
tons. These subjects should be discussed
at every Grange meeting, and the more
! active and intelligent members should put
forth every effort to secure speedy and eff
/ fectual action.
| ThR DAMAGE q Shirarnincr hnr he