The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-10-08
CAPT. BILL DAY WILL ALSO
AND LIKEWISE THE EXECU-
TIVE BOARD.
CONDITION OF THE STATE FARM CROPS
They Have Been Inspected by Commi tee and
Hssx Good Reports are Brought Back. An
son Cotton Best and North
ampton Corn Best.

of the penitentiary here mexts week
Tuesday 17th--promises to be more than
usually interesting.
Capt Bill Day, who has so long defied
all control and rules Of the directors,
is ordered to come down to- his knitting
disbursements and other financial trans
actions.
The Executive Board-composad of
Messrs Travis, Newland amid Osborne
is also to give an account of its steward
ship.
Then there's the Summerell matter
that the Eexecutiye Board did nothing
with, that the directors must tackle ami
settle somehow.
plans are TO he made for concentra
ton of all the institutions and farming
interests on the Caledonia and Arson
farms. which the State will own.
Preparatory TO this, n committee of
the board of directors has visited AND
inspected all the farms and win MAKE
their report to the full board when It
meets.
This committee to inspect the farms is
composed of Messrs. Iegrand and Young,
who have just spent a week on the
farms. They started out last Monday
and We're here yesterday on their way
home.
This inspection they said, was
made at the request. and under the d.
rection. of the superintendent of the pelii-
Tertiary.
s'We have agreed ON an estimate of
everything except the number of bales
of cotton and the amount of cotton seed.
One of us Iegrand) thinks there will
he 1900 bales of cotton produced on all
the farms, and the other tYoung) esti-
mates the entire yield at 1900 bales
The cotton seed Mr. Legrand estimates
Mt $4,000 bushels and Mr.. Young at o.
600. On the rest of the crop we agree.
as fellows: Corn, $4,000 bushels; pea
nuts, 5000 bushels; rice, 5000 bushels;
pork, $4,000 pounds.
I'm addition to this great many fed
peas viii be raised. Mr.. Legrand says
1000 bushels. Then there will be fod
der, shucks, peavine and peanut hay in
proportion.
We find that the cotton crop is shorr
about 33 per cent. and corn % per cent.
In comparison with other crops in diff
ferent sections of the State the State
farm crops are the best we have seen
I'm other words we estimate that th.'
cotton crop OF the rest Of the State :
about 45 per cent short and the corn cfoi,
about 40 per cent short.
AS a rule. considering everything we
find the State farms well managed. aud
the supervisors well up with their worl;
except on the Caledonia farm, where
more convicts are needed.
1.-THE amount of pork found on the
farms is five times as great as it was
year ago.
..Nefther of MS know much about rice
or peanuts but we estimate a yield Of
20 bushels per acre for both the rice
and the peanuts. Rice is selling at from
rs cents to $1.10 a bllshel, wthiie pea
nuts are bringing 80 cents.
Another thing we found was the fin
est of tllIIrip patches, tomatoes and
cabbage: also a large quantity of sugar
cane. There We're fine cattle on all the
farms with plent yof milk and butter.
1--WE have inspected these State farms
for the benefit of the board of directors
which conyenes ON the 18th. At thai
time we hope to have full and COM
plete report of the superintendent and
executive board, which up to this time
we have not had"
SIS that the object of the meeting of
the board at this tine!
yes said Mr.. Legrand. 1.-THE prin-
cinal thing is to get these reports ami
examine into the status of the inssi.u-
zion. Also we wild complete arrange
ments for purchase of the Anson farm
..yNhen this is done will the ccnvicts
he used entirely on the farms owned IL
the State!
aYes. The State will then have three
farms two Caledonia farms anu the
Arson farm The lease ON all farms.
except the INillery farm expires TINS
year and we will probably dispose OF
this lease and mot work the Ifllery farm
longer. Taking the convicts from all
the farms except those purchased by the
State. we estimate that WEN have about
300 conviets next year for railroad
binding and other public works. This
will leave us enough to cultivate the
farms owned by the State and carry OF
the industries established here at the
Central Prison"
Did Won make thorough inspection
of all the farms?"
eyes of all except Halifax farm. We
didn't inspect that so closely"
Which do you consider has the rest
crops ON itT'
''WeH, there's not much difference III
the Caledonia, the Northampton ana
the Tillcry farms The Northampton
will make the hest crop of corn, but thr
Anson farm will produce the largest yield
of cotton per acre"
''From what You have seen do you
think the penitentiary will this year
come anywhere near being self-sustain-
ing?'
81 can't tell. I don't know anything
about the expenditures of the institu
ton. That's the object of the meeting
Of the board next week"
"How is the health of the convicts on
the farmsY'
.sWe found it very good. There is no