The leader., 1905-01-14

OHly u lew years SINCE tne vast
territory of long1eaf pine to the south
Of the Alabama and VIcl1sburg rail
road in Mississippi was considered of
little value except for the timber
standing upon its acres. A change has
taken place, and today there is no
more valuable land in the State from
the truckers standpoint The Gulf
and Ship Island railroad was the
pieneer in opening up this vast coun-
| try and bringing to the attention of
farmers its possibilities Lands are
being put in cultivation, orchards
planted, comfortable homes being
built, good stock raised and verify
the country Is beginning to blossom
as the rose. 1t was fitting tribute
indeed, that the Gulf and Ship Island
railway was awarded the grand prize
at the Corn and Cotton Carnival for
the most comprehensive exhibit OF
Mississippi products. AS the greatest
promoter of this prosperity the road
richly deserved the recognition given.
The suite of rooms in the old capitol
formerly occupied by the governor
was allotted the road for a display of
| products along its line, and every
available inch of space was filled with
the bounteous harvests from the fer
tile section traYersed Under the
personal supervision Of Industrial
Commissioner ]. H. BousIog and his
estimable wife, together with valu-
able assistance from other interested
parties, the rooms were made espe-
cially attractive and instructive to the
sight-seer, and they were always
filled to their capacity with admirers
OF the splendid display Several
columns would be necessary to give a
comprehensive description of the hun
dreds of products shown, but there
could be found the best of all semi
tropical fruits, vegetables, flowers,
etc. Sugar cane and syrup were
given particular attention, and it was
very timely from the fact that a great
deal is planted with the best of sue
cess. No finer syrup was ever shown
than that in this exhibit, made from
cane and in the old open-kettle style.
The cutover pine lands yield pro-
fusely when planted in cane, and sig
nal Importance is being given the in
dustry by the Gulf and Ship Island
railroad. Sweet potatoes were shown
that compared favorably with those
AAiSCd III any SCCllO1 VI II1C OIdlG.
They were extra large, smooth and
fine in texture, and pronounced by
| those who tried them as being a de-
licious table potato. Second crop
! Irish potatoes were shown that were
| excellent, and fresh string beans that
could not be beaten anywhere. In
the line of fruits the variety was ex-
ceptionally large, and the specimens
| fine in every respect. Pears, persim-
mons, grapes, oranges, grape fruit,
lemons, pecans, figs and other fruits
were shown in great profusion The
only bananas were in this exhibit and
ELECTED the admiration of all who saw
them. A banana bloom was quite a
curiosity to nine-tenths of those who
attended the carnival. Field crops
were exhibited that established the
standing of the piney-woods country
as a desirable farming section Splen-
did corn with enormous ears, were
all over the exhibit as decorations as
well as displays. Rice was shown
| that had a superior nowhere, and
raised without irrigation. Cotton
| grows well on a large portion of that
section and is the staple crop in many
| counties. Cassava, a new plant for
! stockfood, very rich in starch, and
especially nutricious, was on display.
1t grows something like a sweet po-
| tato and yields enormous amounts to
the acre. 1t is not gathered to any ex-
tent, being left in the ground to be
rooted up by the hogs and eaten by
| all farm animals. 1t promises to be-
come an important crop in South
Mississippi The naval stores ex.
| hibit of the Gulf and Ship Island was
| by far the best shown at the carnival.
Turpentine, resin. tar and other
products of the pine were on display
in every conceivable shape The i'm
| portance of this industry along the
| Gulf and Ship Island warranted the
attention shown it. The display of
| native timbers was comprehensive
! and the subject of much praise. The
/ Gulf and Ship Island did itself proud
| in the exhibit made,-and the crowning
| feature was crayon portrait of Capt.
Jones, the man who put up the money
and gives all his time and attention
to the development pictured at the
! carnival. The good work is enly in
it's infancy. The next few years will
show many times the accomplishment
Of the past few There is a great
| future in store for that section, and
| the Gulf and Ship Island viii prove a
potent factor in the development SO
fayorably begun.
sHow much cotton would a cotton
picker pick if a cotton picker would
/ pick cotton?"
Since the ending Of the civil war
and the freeing Of the negroes, the
South has been looking around for
some means to gather the cotton crop
without sending people down between
the rows with a long sack and gather
/ ing the bolls one by one The de-
mand for a machine to pick the crop
has been emphasized in later years
upon the opening of so much rich land
/ in the delta and the bringing into
cultivation vast areas of prairies in
1 Texas. In both these sections much
more could be raised than gathered.
Numerous devices have been expert
mented with, but to no avail. The
irregularity of the growing crop
seemed to be q barrier to any me-
chanicaI device for gathering it. AT
/ last it looks very much like machine
has been invented that will do the
work The Lowery picker has just
been given a trial at Shreveport, and
the result gave encouragement to the
promoters. 1t is said to be very sim
pie, and not liable to get out Of fix.
The machine is mounted on wheels
and propelled by gasoline engine.
Arms carrying a belt with teeth like
a common wool card, are managed
by boy, one in each hand. As the
machine moves along the belt is
touched to the open boil, the teeth
pulling the cotton out The operator
paws no attention to the boil after
guiding the belt against it, but goes
ahead in turn guiding it against all
on the stalk. After pulling out the
i 60. l,,1l tIn cnftnn Il carried I'm on