Times-promoter., 1903-06-19

are no statistics compiled, but for
want OF the capital and the skilled
labor Mississippi is but just beginning
the development Of her manufacturing
i resources. There are numerous small
factories for manufacturing furniture
trunks, wagons, carriages and the like,
and the possibilities In these indus.
tries may be said to be unlimited.
Soil and Timber Wealth.
The area of the State of Mississippi
is 47,750 square miles, or, In round
numbers, thirty millions of acres.
There is an absurd impression
abroad that the surface of Mississippi
Is fat and that her soil Is marshy,
and that malaria Is the chief product.
On the contrary, the greater portion
Of the State is high, rolling country
that frequently rises to the, dignity
of hills. The great Mississippi delta,
which lies between the Mississippi
river and the Yazoo river, Is lower
than the balance of the State and
Is swampy in parts; but in it the
swamps have just disappeared with
the gradual settlement Of the country
and clearing away of the forests of
cypress and oak
The geographical divisions of the
soil are known as the Northwestern
Prairie region, once called the gran
ary of Mississippi" the Yellow Loan
region, the Central Prairie region, the
Long Leaf Pine region and the Great
Delta region. There Is also what Is
known as the Bluff Formation, which
Is range of high land commencing at
the Tennessee line, In DeSoto county,
and running southwest, following the
bend of the Yazoo river, but several
miles to the east of that stream, un-
til it comes into the Mississippi river
at Vicksburg. Here It widens out con-
siderably and follows the banks of
the Mississippi to the Louisiana line.
In these grand geographical divis-
ions is comprised every variety of
soil. The alluvial land of the delta
is now world-famous as outrivaling
the famous Nile valley. The delta
was characterized by the great Prem
tiss as the "cornucopia of the world"
Its productive power seems unbound
ed. The crops of the delta are cot
ton and corn, and the soil is so Pc
culiarly suited to the former that 1t
Is doubtful If any other land on earth
can equal it for cotton production.
A report Of the United States De-
partment of Agriculture thus COM
pares the annual crop values of i'm
proved lands in Mississippi and other
States: -
Per Acre
Mississippi 80. .$12.21
ILLINOIS 7.8l
lnulana 8.23
iowa O.S5
Now, when it is considered that
much of the hill and sandy lands of
the State are far less productive than
this mile valley of America" an idea
may be given of its marvellous fertility
The delta also produces an average
OF thirty bushels of Indian corn per
acre, hay of the finest quality, Irish
and sweet potatoes at net profit of
$50 per acre, and all fruits that grow
in semi-tropical countries.
The prairie region produces "every
crop known to the Southern soil and
climate except the orange" It was
once characterized as the corn and
meat surplus" section of the State
In addition to It's numerous crops,
more diversified, perhaps, than other
sections, it has become the great cen
ter of Mississippi's stock industry.
The immense cotton fields of other
years have been laid off into meadows
and pastures for horses, mules, cattle
and hogs of the finest blood and breed
The lumber region of the State, in
the great long leaf pine country, which
practically the entire south
ern section Of the State south of the
Alabama & Vicksburg railroad, is a
mine OF wealth that is of incalcula-
BILE value. 1t has been estimated |
that the standing timber of the State
to more than seventy-fve |
billions of feet, and that If one tree
was planted for every one cut down
could manufacture up
wards of three hundred millions of |
feet OF lumber every year and still |
possess perpetuity In her lumber |
wealth.
At Gulfport and Pascagoula ships
may be seen every day loading thou
sands of feet of yellow pine lumber
for export to foreign markets, and
more than thousand saw mills are
cutting deeper and deeper
INTO the forests.
Truck Farming Forging Ahead.
It has Only been of recent years
hat Mississippi farmers have turned
heir attention to trucking, but this
has grown to extraordinary
and is gradually spreading
LII over the State. The possibilities
If the State In the direction of inten-
'ified farming are just beginning to
De understood, and of late the rail-
'oads of the State have turned their
attention to this industry. Excur-
lions have been run into the StNe
o bring prospectors from other Sec
ions, and specialists ON horticulture
rave been employed to instruct the
armerS AS result of these af- |