The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1905-01-14

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that a machine with three fair opera
tors would gather easily 5000 pound
in a day. While something may We
prove lacking in this machine, it look
as If a long stride had been made to
ward solving the problem Of gathering
the South's cotton crop. The success
OF this device would mean much more
to the cotton growers than simply {
means Of gathering the crop, 1t woult
mean a different alignment of the
acreage, increasing 1t in some sec
tioDs and decreasing it in others. 1t is
plainly discernible that hill-sides ant
stumpy ground could not be success
fully cultivated In cotton if it We're tc
be picked with a machine. Prairie
sections and level bottoms would then
raise the cotton of the country. The
hill farmers and new-ground men
would be left in the cold as far as
making the crop profitable would be
concerned. However, there is still
something for those in Mississippi
who could not raise cotton. Truck
ing pays better anyway in hill sec.
tions, and the new grounds could be
planted in corn and other crops until
clear of stumps. While it may be
unnecessary for those who w rough
land to become frightened so soon,
it might not be amiss to begin to
think of what is to be done in case
the cotton picking machine should
come into general use.
Mississippi is to be congratulated
upon the stand taken toward the vet.
who SO nobly fought beneath
her flag in 1865. The fitting up of
Beauvoir as a home where they may
spend their remaining days in peace
and contentment, is the least that
could be done for these old heroes
who find themselves without support
when life's sun is sinking Iowa
home at the residence of their de.
parted chieftain, with all the com
forts and necessaries of life. The
cost is comparatively small when com
pared with the use to which it is
placed. May Gods blessings be with
them until the roll is called up yon-
der.
It looks as il Aberdeen will have
two new oil mills when the season
opens next fall. The charters are be.
ing published for two in the local pa.
pers. Oil mills do not pay the divi.
dend Of a few years since, but are still
considered good investments. With
fertilizer factories in connection they
are worth a great deal to the com
munity in which lOcatnd
Tho Manufacturers Record, of Balti-
more, has the following to say of Capt.
w. II. Hardy's splendid address on
"South Mississippi at the carnival
before Christmas;
zone of the best speeches at the
Cotton and Corn Carnival at Jackson
was that of Capt. w. H. Hardy, of
Hattiesburg, treating especially of
the resources of the piney woods re-
gion Of South Mississippi. The speech
was, in fact, a forecast Of the wealth
to be enjoyed with the full exertiOn Of
energies now operating in numbering,
farming and manufacturing in that
region. Captain Hardy estimates that
in the 5000 square miles of South
Mississippi there are 1000, 900 acres
of standing pine timber that will cut
during the next forty years %, 1000, 900.
900 feet of lumber, representing $780,
600, 900, to say nothing of the value of
naval stores manufactured by retort-
ing from the resinous stumps, limbs
and tops of logs and the utilization of
Sawdust, slabs, etc, in the manufaC"
ture of merchantable products, such
as wood alcohol, turpentine. tar and
resin oil and paper from pine shay
After the timber has been cut,
as Captain Hardy pointed out, the
land becomes quickly valuable for
farming, and already the trucking bus
in that quarter is well under
way, with its natural adjunct, canning
factories. Plants which handle sweet
and syrup are now in opera
ton at several points, and it is be-
.ieved that within the next year fifty
a hundred plants will be estab-
.ished to can peaches, pears, straw
beans, peas, tomatoes and
2orn. The railroads Of that section
ire doing their utmost to extend the
operations and to facilitate
he settlement of cut-over lands and
he establishment of minor indus
While Mississippi Is not a manless
and for landless man, 1t offers unex- !
'elled opportunities for a large num-
,er of thrifty settlers who desire to
.ome to the best State in the Union
md live under the most favorable cir
I
There is a great dear pe1ng said {
bout plans to increase the price of 5
otton for the coming season, many
Ilans having been suggested for de- |
reasing the acreage and decreasing /
for bringing about organi
for holding up the price, etc.
While some of these plans might be T
IL it were possible to put them
operation, they are not feasible for
hat very reason. Too many times I
as such been attempted and with t
DOR success in every instance. Mis- |
and the South will continue
} raise cotton as 1t has always done,
nd with result varying in the future +
5 in the past. So much cotton is t
ecessary for the worlds needs and d
1at' cotton will be raised in the South. 0
ne year the crop will be short and
ie price go high, and a succeeding 6
rye crop will send it down again.
he price Of cotton will seek its level L
nd no generalizing will influence 1t p
bring more than 1t is worth. If
were subject to such manipulation
lie Spectators would combine and
1T it at any figure they saw fit. 1t
our staple crop and will continue
for some time to come. There are