The sea coast echo. [volume] (Bay Saint Louis, Miss.) 1892-current, 1902-08-09
Farms In Mississippi.


ting information as to the pro-
gress Of the State of Mississippi.
The farms of Mississippi, June
/, 1900, numbered 220,803, and
were valued at 1852, ,007, 900. OF
this amount, $37, ,150, $40, or 24.4
per cent, represents the value of
buildings, and $114,S56, $3.50, or
1916 per cent, the value of land
and improvements other than
buildings. On the sane date the
value of farm implements and
machinery was so, $50, ,s05, and of
live stock, $42,657, ,222. These
values, added to that Of farms,
give 1904, ,221, ,027, the "total value
of farm property"
The products derived from do
mestic animals, poultry, and
bees, including animals sold
and animals slaughtered on
farms, are referred to in this
bulletin as " animal products. "
Ihe total value of such products,
together with the value of all
crops, is termed total value of
farm products. /" This value for
1899 was $l02.492, ,2S3, Of which
amount $17,608,507 or 17.2 per
cent, represents the value of ami
NAL products, and S4,883, ,776, or
1878 per cent, the value of-crops,
including forest porducts. The
total value of farm products for
1899 exceeds that for 1889 by $29,
149, 1888, or 1917 per cent.
The "gross farm income" is OBJ
tanned by deducting from the to-
tai value of farm products the
value 'of the products fed to live
stock on the farms of the produ-
GERS. In 1899 the reported value
of products fed was $l1, 1,748, ,625
leaving $50, ,743, ,65S as the gross
farm income. The ratio which
this amount bears to the total
value of farm property is referred
10 in this bulletin as the "percen-
tage of gross income upon invest
nent. For Mississippi in 1899
t was IA per cent.
As no reports of expenditure
'or taxes, interest, insurance, feed
or stock, and similar items have
been obtained by any census, no
statement of net farm income can
% given.
Surely gross income of Al per
'ent from agiculture must dispell
he idea that farming is a poor
business. No other business pays
10 well and gives so much indie
and comfort to those en-
,aged in 1t. If the bulletin had
estimated in the gross income the
upplies furnished by the farm to
he farmers table, the exhibit
would have been still more en-
o-ssAerohant in the
;ity who receives Al per cent.
ross income from his business
las to pay large part of it Tor
'ent, table expenses and the
thousand artificial wants which
he farmer does not need or covet.
In another bulletin, that relat-
ng to Virgins, it shown that the
gross income IN that State is only
1911 per cent. from farming. Tbe
Mississippi farmer enjoys twice
he income of the Virginia far
ner.
An interesting item of this Mis-
iissippi bulletin is the admirable
'esult of the few experiments that
nave been made with irrigation.
In 1899, on three farms, 40 acres
we're irrigated--30 acres in rice
ind 10 acres in truck and small
'ruits. The irrgating systems
lost $2,825. The most extensive
plant is reported from Lauderdale
county, and consists, of a reser-
yoir capable of irrigating $50 acres
which was made by damnling a
ravine. A large spnng in the
lill by the plantation furnishes
he supply, which is stored in the
reservoir, and thence directed by
means of pipes and bitches to the
and to be irrigated. This irrigat-
ng system complete cost $4,000.
On this farm a acres in cabbage
produced 80 900 heads; / aore in
asparagus, 1000 lunches / acre in
celery, 1000 lunches; 2 acres in
strawberries, 10000 quarts; and !
acre in rice, 1000 pounds. The
value of the irrigated crops on 10
acres was approximately 81, 800,
per acre.
No doubt in every section Of the
state there are opportunities for
at small cost. The al
Iuvial lands of the State are un-
ioubtedly adapted to the cultiva-
ion Of rice, but this industry oc-
,upies the attention of the agri-
culturist only to a limited ex-
.ent. The introduction of mo.
iern systems Of irrigation would
END greatly to promote the extern
sion Of the areas in this crop, and