The Magnolia gazette. [volume] (Magnolia, Miss.) 1872-current, 1899-02-08
AGRICULTURAL ASS0CI4ION
THE riEETING noNDAY WAS
LARGELY ATTENDED.
Practical Address Delivered by
Prof w. c. weIborn, Of A. s
NJ College.


in the court house.
The minutes OF last meeting
were read and approved.
The secretary read the replies
of seven merchants of the county
approving the resolution passed
at last meeting in regard TO SELL
ing provisions and feed stuffs on
credit after first Of next Janu-
ary.
On motion of E. j. Simmons,
the consideration of these letters
was continued till next meeting.
An opportunity was given for
the reception OF new members,
when the following names We're
enrolled: ]. II. Stevens. Sr. ),
II I. M Lee, S B. Williams. w.
E. Simmons, Rev. j. N. Fortin-
berry, J. j. Lee, John A. Walker
C. F. Pitts and DR.. A. s. Smith.
Mr.. G.. F. Pitts addressed the
association, admonishing the
farmers to not be led astray by
the recent advance in the price
of cotton.
Several queries were submitted
which it was suggested would be
answered by Prof. Welborn in
the afternoon.
AT II o clock on motion Of W.
X. Nettles, the association ad-
journed for dinner.
Upon re assembling in the af-
ternoon, Prof. w. O.. Welborn,
Of the Agricultural and Mechan-
ical College, addressed the Asso-
citation, taking for his subject
DIvERsiFIcATIoN. THE HOPE or THE
SOUTH,
speaking substantially as follows:
Ladies and Gentlemen; In
speaking on this subject l might
discourse on our need of factories
in which a 5cent pound of cotton
might be made INTO Is or 20 cents
worth of cloth, and this extra
wealth thus be kept in our state
to buy our food products, pay our
taxes, enhance the value of our
property and enrich our country.
| might even go SO far as to show
that a pound of our cotton can be
made into So. 90 worth of fine or
CANDIES, and such goods are ac-
tually sold to our people at this
enormous figure, But this is an
agricultural occasion, and much
as factories would benefit agri-
culture and all other pursuits,
should confine my remarks to this
great business of life.
| saw it stated in one of our
progressive newspapers the other
day that if anybody goes to the
Inter- State Farmers Institute at
Vicksburg, and says our farmers
are not as prosperous as any,
where, he should be shot on the
spot then and there This senti-
ment has been much copied and
applauded by the press. which is
progressive if anything. But,
sirs, unless there is some Mag
nolia editor with his gun near at
hand, believe prefer to tell the
truth, for once, or so much there
of as is necessary to show where
We are at.
OF the $50, O0O, 900 worth Of
farm products (estimated) made
in our state in 1897, by our mill
ion agricy Itural population, prob
ably 5000, 900 dollars worth is
composed of corn and cotton.
With a climate and soil admira-
bly, adapted to hay grasses OF all
kinds, our state made less than
100, 900 tons in 1890. With the
finest lands for fruits and vege-
tables on the globe; we made less
than one quarter million dollars
worth in 1890, With our COW pea,
the easiest OF crops to grow, the
greatest fertilizer ever given to
man, stock food second to none
on earth, we grew but 240. 600
bushels in 1890.
For those who think our agri-
culture diversified enough. let
me compare Mississippi with one
of tbs northern states having a
smaller agricultural population