The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1897-12-04

YsEoo.Mlssissippi Delta that Its fame
+. already spread abroad over she
length and breadth OF the land.
Judge r. 8. Taylor Of Fort Wayne,
Indiana. in a recent speech before The
western Waterways Convention al
Davenport Iowa, spoke in substance
of this region rs follows;
"Ihere was a time, ages ago, Wheh
All estuary extended from the Gulf OF
Mexico TO the hills above Cairo, Ill.,
If the relative elevations OF the sea
and land then were as they are now,
Inc Mississippi river ended in a
waterfall, three hundred feet high, al
The head Of that estuary, and near the
present site of the town OF Commerce,
A few miles Eastward, the Cumoer-
land the tennessee, and the ono,
leaned from ike elevations into the
same abyss. With this enormous
dowupour came the sand, clay and
lOam-sCoured from million SQUARE
miles of wRtershed-with when me
estuary of the Mississippi has been
Allied M aud from which has been
formed its presen. alluviaI valley
Into this BASIN has been gathered the
cream OF toe continent, hundred feet
deep. and twentynine thousand square
allies In area"
In an account of its wonders the
temptation TO exaggeratlon is great;
but 80 extraordinary are the real oapa-
bilitles Of the country that statement
which NAV be scoffed at Us utterly
improbsble is often demonstrated to
be true by subsequent experience.
Never IN it's history has so striking an
illustration ofthe resources of This re-
markable region been given as during
the present year a history OF me
Delta since the first of March, 1897
to the present time, however faithful
TO truth. must read like an effort =
IMAGINATION. The calamity who.
overwhelmed the cauutry III III
Spring r,crIved wider notorirl
than he subsequent recovery from
its effects can possibly be expected
10 do. Bad as was The coli
dltion then, it was made 10 appear
hundred fold worse by The faIsitica
ton and sensational eXaggeratIou OF
INSCRIPTIONS newspapers. While tue
Delta was not q scene of death, ruin
and starvation more than three tOurths
of it was submerged by he water OF
the Mlsslssppi 10 a depth ranging
from TWO or three 10 ten feet, and
every vestige of Its crops on The over
flowed land was destroyed, leaving,
when the H.. -ded, bare waste
of mud, in which cotton was planted
without waiting for the ground to
dry. Every acre OF overlooked ground
afterwards cultivated was planted
after the first week in May, |
aud much of if not before the begin
ming of June yet on this ground is
now being gathered one of the most
abundant crops ever grown in the
Delta. On the first OF September |
this cotton, taller than a mans head, |
and branched from side TO side Of the |
rows, was loaded with crop which, |
when gathered, will average q bale TO
the acre on good aud well worked
land, and even a. much rs bale aud
half in exceptionally favored localities.
The estimated crop of Washington
county for the year 1897, after Que Of
the greatest OverfOws on record, is
10000 bales. Al q conservative es-
innate this cotton will sell for IL per
pound, making the estimated value of
the cotton cropSlg25000 This Is cot
ton alone,
CROPS.
The crops of corn, forage of all
descriptions, field vegetables aud
miscellaneous productions have kept
pace with cotton, and the result of
the overflow and consequent enrich
meut of the soil by it's heavy alIuvial
deposit has resulted in producing a
luXuriauce of vegetation and rapid
ity Of growth never before observed
and difficult of realization by those
who have not witnessed it. Not only
is the recovery from the effects of
overflow complete aud triumphant,
but the rejuvenation Of the lands has
actually had the effect of producing
Iush results as will more than compeu- I
ate for the losses sustained by reason
If iuundation 1t must be borne in mind
hat this wonderful luxurianco Of T
crown and abundance of production i
5 attained on ground which has never t
;nOwn an artificial fertilizer, and '
much of which has been in constant |
ultivation for fifty years past, The s
engih Of the crop season enjoyed by {
be Delta makes its wonderful accom-. ?
lishments possible. There IS not a .
l0nth in the twelve IN which active .
york cannot be pursued in the fields. b
~ the middle OF March the enterpris- v
* farmer should have his ground il
8ady for planting, and be need fear a
0 damage from the late frosts after f
&c 10th of that month. If be chooses, q
o can do his planting III the winter, #
tier the crop is gathered. 1t would G,
9 strange thing for a December to pl
ass 10 which az much blowing could SC
ot be done as IN March The Delta re
III raise almost any crop which sue ca
eds in any part Of the temperate or VI
btropic zones. Wheat is the only 70
lportant exception, and lie culture W
IS never been seriously undertaken VI
cause Of the almost exclusive atten- tn
IN paid to cotton and corn. Corn, M
y, grasses, peas, pumpkins, potatoes iOI
d turuips grow here with far less 10
re and in greater abundance than in ne
. Middle States, because the seasons / GU
, so long that It is always possible is
raise two crops OF the products ed
Itch require a whole season to ma ms
e IN Northern ATTITUDES. Garden ire