The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1883-12-08
Gives total annual wealth

Gives total annual wealth I h665723.
Which if equally distributed would give to each
man, woman and child in the county sls2,90. With
the capital, twice the land now in cultivation could
be cultivated, which would increase its value from
slOO per acre to $50 per acre. The lands in the
county are assessed very low. $40 per acre being
the average for cultivated lands aud Al an acre for
Wild and timbered lands. This is done with view
OF maintaining an equal rate of taxation throughout
the State. The hill lands being assessed at $500
for cultivated land and timbered land 30 cents. 1t
Is very popnlae idea that the lands ofthe valley are
uhnt Tor other culture except cotton. This may be
said of the stif buck shot land; bat the black loan
lands ofwhich three fonrths of this county is com.
posed are as productive in all of the cereals as the
lands OF the West, and this without he aid of fertil
izers none having ever been nsed in this county
AS an evidence ofthe fact, we know that 80 to so
bushels OF corn has been made TO tho acre without
lfertilizing, and with ordinary cultivation. Sixty
bushels Of oats to the acre 30 bushels OF wheat 30
bushels ofrye, 10 bushels ofbuckwheat and barley.
Jute grows successfully; Irish and sweet potatoes
nom 100 to 200 bushels per acre; all kinds of fruits,
vegetables and berries in abundance, Hogs aud
cattle do well without any attention except in the
mouths of December and january
Prof. Campbell in his report regarding the fertIi.
ty of the soil says: "Since the drrinage of the Ya.
zoo Delta has been improved the cotton planters
have been clearing away tho forests, and substitu.
tng crops OF cotton and corn, but the development
OF this kingdom of agricultural wealth. has scarcely
commenced. The delta of the Nile has never ap.
proached in productiveness that oftle Yazee river
The whole dalta is burdehed with animal and yege.
table life and nothing short of volume can de.
scribe its wealth, and attractivenescn and he might
we'll have added that Washington, sharkey and Boil.
iyar counties are the wcathiest best improved and
have the finest timber and most fertile soil of tho
delta. Those familiar with the county and it's agri.
cultural and social advantages, cannot understand
why 1t has not been rapidly settled bv migrants
long since, and the only explanation we can give we
think the recourses ofthe delta are unknown and
ndevcoped, and II has bocu the work of the news.
papers to nisrepresent the condition Of the delta
by crying death and overflow to all WHO ester into
the valley.
In point ofhealth they have had yellew fever in
Prof Campbell in speaking of the health Of the
Mississippi Vally says: "This region has vast in.
morited rcpctatlon for III health. Uuqnestionable
malaria abounds in September, but II is manageable
and the people are manlfesty healthy. Having been
there during the hottest spell of last summer, 1882
we would not fear to return at any timer aud as he
visited it ut the most unfavorable time-diroctly az
ter the worss overflow ever known in the valley he
was evidently impressed with the idea that malaria
musi abound from what he saw. Malaria is no
worse than in South Ohio and Illinois aud not as
bad as Oh Long Island and parts of New Jersey and
so far as the gedoral health of the county is con-
cerned, refer parties interested to tho United
States census report for further information. Re.
gardng overfows we may say that about once in
ten years the waters Of the Mississippi gets beyond
the control of the lines and when it does no great
damage results. The overflow of 1892 was the most
destructive ever known and the highest water and
then only two thirds of the cultivated lands of tho
county were 0yertiOwed, and that year there was
made and gathered $4,000 bales of cotton,
We believe that sS00000 is annually borrowed by
the planters of this county, that their notes are
promptly paid at maturitg, is evident from this fact
the court dockcts are free from suits against plant
ers, and they are still borrowing aud carrying Oh
their plantations Ifthe planter could borrow mon.
ey at per cent interest per annum upon % frat
mortgage upon his cultivated lands free from re-
/
years, the whole aspect of the county would change
The crops would be diversified meat and corn and
mules would be raised at home lands would again
reach their antBellum value of one hundred dollars
All acre. The timber would he manufactured into
lumber and our spokes and barrel factories would
be started. and all by home industry and this with
out any decrease in amount of cotton now shipped
but on the contrary large increase would annually
accrue, as more land would be cleared and brought
into cultivation and under better system of culture
made to produce three times much to the acre as
is now grown. AS au evidence Of this fact, one year
ago we placed in this county for Northern West
Companies 100000 for term of five years secured
by first deeds of trust upon improved plantations
the rate of s15 per acre, at per cent interest.
The interest has been promptly paid the plantations
are in iourising condition, and the planters max
ing their own corn and meat, and making money.
We think the most advantageous way of investing in
this county would be to let the planters issue
twenty year bonds redeemable In ten years, bearing
per cent interest per annum secured by first deeds
of trust or mortgages upon improved plantations at
the rate of ID to 20 per cent. per acre, on i'm
proved lands, according to the situation. We be-
! licye that the interest would always be promptly
met aud the taxes on the land promptly paid. The
increased value of the lands would guarantee the
payment Of the Bank. We think Bank issued and
secured as we have described arc certainly better
than one halt the first mortgage Railroad bonds
that are now flooding the country, and the assets
from the plantations in proportion much greater than
one half of the Railroads.
What we have said concerning Washington
county, applies equally to Bolivar Sharkey and
Issaqucna counties Ia the Valley, and we believe
that we could safely invest S50OOOO in twenty year