The Tupelo journal., 1906-08-10

The growing Importance of the poul-
try industry in Mississippi caused Edi-
tor Jonas Of the Aberdeen Examiner
to publish the following:
mississippi needs no pointer on that
line. 1t is one of the leading poultry
States of the Union. According to the
census report the value of its poultry
products in 1899 was 81, 259, 249, as
against ST., $40, 1858 for Missouri; and
yet the white population of Missouri
was nearly five times as great as that
of u State, and we know that little
attention was paid to obtaining statis-
tical reports from our negro population,
among whom the raising Of poultry is
almost universal. Mississippi led all
the cotton States except Texas, North
Carolina and Tennessee, and led them
all in proportion to population. We do
not believe there is a State in the Union
where poultry raising is as general as
it is in ours. We know we can boast of
as many enthusiastic breeders as any
other State.
SIN the last census we led q other
States in the number of chickens, in
Guiding all of the cotton States except
Arkansas, Tennessee and Texas. In
turkeys we led all cotton States except
Texas and Tennessee, making a close
run for second place. In geese we pass
ed all except Texas, Arkansas and Ten
nessee, and in ducks are only led in the
cotton sisterhood by Tennessee, Texas,
North Carolina and Arkansas. In tur-
keys we led all the States in the Union
except fourteen, and only fell behind
Missouri 1894. In number of eggs
produced we led all of the States except
eighteen. From almost every depot
and river landing in the State poul-
try and eggs are exported; in every
poultry journal the advertisements OF
Mississippi breeders can be found; at
all of the great exhibits Mississippi
fowls take prizes, and at the annual
meets of the Mississippi Poultry and
Pet Stock Association in Aberdeen, a
finer collection of fowls is assembled
than graced the Worlds Fair at Mis-
souri's emporium. More than that,
Mississippi's high-bred fowls are being
sold at handsome prices to fanciers in
many distant States, and in the matter
of choice feed for chickens, n Aber-
deem manufacturer makes shipments in
ton lots to numerous customers, and
cannot keep up with his orders"
This instructive article should prove
Q source of great pride and satisfaction
to those who are interested in the well
fare of our State. The industry IS yet
in its infancy, and it is confidently ex-
pected that the next few years will
show a wonderful increase in the pro-
duction of poultry and eggs. There is
money in it and the demand is still far
ahead of the supply, insuring excellent
prices.
Considerable interest has recently
been aroused by the action of a number
of officials who are trying to enforce
the law to the letter. They have been
termed fanatics and q few other pet
names by those who would not recog-
nize any law if it could be avoided.
This is the case more especially with
reference to the laws against doing
business on the Sabbath. In sections
of the State such regulations have been
ignored and now that effort is being
made to enforce them, there is a great
kick made. The perpetuity OF our
State institutions and the protection OF
it's citizens lies In the enforcement OF
the law. Every statute on the books
should be strictly enforced, and if any
are found bad, the remedy lies in the
repeal of that section. Mississippi
should be a law-abiding State, and as
such would offer greater inducements
for good people to make their home
here than everything else combined.
Enforce the laws and the best citizens
will give the officers every support.
The Farmers Union is growing very
fast in the State and promises to be a
factor in the material advancement of
agricultural and kindred interests. M.
A. Brown, State organizer, gives an
encouraging report of the work, and in
a short while Mississippi will be one of
the strongest Union States in the u
try. The organization at present has
something like 10000 unions and
800, 10000 members. The building of
standard cotton warehouses is just now
the subject of much interest in the
unions. 1t is shown that by. this means
the cotton crop can be stored safely
and economically and given to the mar
ket as demanded. There is good logic
in the scheme and the ooner the cotton
producer arranges to market hiS product
as other producers, the better for him.
The Cotton Stalks Product Co. has
been organized at Birmingham with a
capital stock of 5000, 900 for the pur-
pose of manufacturing paper and other
articles from the cotton. 1t is to be
sincerely hoped. that this scheme will
not fall through as have some on former
occasions by which it was hoped that
the farmer could realize something
from the stalks of the cotton. 1t is
estimated that the South produces each
year ten and a half million tore of cot
ton stalks, and if it were possible to
sell them for a fair price it would be OF
great help to the farmers OF section.