The leader., 1897-01-27
ABOUT M!SSlSSiPPI.
Gov. McLallrin Writes Il Letter
to the Manufacturers Record.
JACKSON. MISS, Jan. Z, 1897.

JACKSON, MISS, Jan. Z, 1897.
1t gives me pleasure to comply
with your request for brief ac-
count of the resources and indus
trial outlook of mississippi. My
only embarrassment is having to
compress within SO small space ~
statement which should command
a volume.
Mississippi is an agricultural
State, without mineral resources,
and as yet very few manufacturing
industries. The wealth OF our
splendid commonwealth is in her
soil, climate, forests and citizen
ship. In variety and fertility of
soil, in her iiealthful and genial
seasons, in the marvellous products
of her pine, oak and cypress forests,
and the lofty character and hos
pitality of her citizens, Mississippi
has scarcely ali equal in our vast
sisterhOOd of States.
There are four grand divisions of
Mississippi distinctively marked in
differences in soil and climate-the
Yazoo Mississippi delta, the north.
east prairie region, the central hill
section and the gulf coast, in
Guiding the vast pine lands of the
State. The alluvial lands of the
far famed-delta, aptly characterized
by the eloquent Prentiss, the ''cOrn.
ucOpia of the world" is the ideal
cotton region of the planet. With
Indifferent culture it easily yields
bale to the acre, and because of
its strength of fiber and length of
staple commands Il premium in the
markets of the world. A report OF
the United States department of
agriculture thus compares the an
nual crop values of improved lands
in Mississippi and other States:
PER ACRE.
In Mississippi. ................. .Sl2 Il
In Illinois. .................... ! 81
In Indiana. %
In iowa ..... ................ - OF
Now. when we consider that
mnch of the hill aud sandy lands of
the State are far less productive
than this "Nile Valley o: America" /"
an idea may be given of its mar.
velous fertility. The delta also
produces an average of thirty bush
els of Indian corn per acre, hay OF
the finest quality, Irish and sweet
potatoes at IL net profit of $50 per
acre, and all fruits that grow in
semi.trOpical countries.
The prairie region produces
ssevery crop known to the Southern
soil except the orange" 1t was
once characterized as the ';cOrn and
meat surplus section OF the State.
In addition to it's numerous crops,
more diversified than other sec.
tiohs, it has become the great cell
ter of Mississippi's stock industry.
The immense cotton fields of other
wears have been laid off into mead
Ows and pastures for horses, mules,
cattle and hogs of the finest blood
aud breed.
Mississipln's lumber region, since
the great forests of the Northwest
ern States have been denuded, Is
now unequa!ed in America. 1t is
estimated that our standing timber
amounts to over 75,OOO. .WW,O ,OW
feet. AN authority on this subject
afiirns that if q system OF forestry
was in force that provided for the
repIanting Of a tree for every orc
cut down, Mississippi could manu-
facture upward of $500, 900, ,WW
feet of lumber every year aud still
possess the perpetuity in her lum-
ber wealth. The most beautiful
yellow pine in the world, which Is
beng shipped over the United
States and to foreign ports BY the
millions of feet every month, IL
found in Mississippi. Our cypress