Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1907-02-16


establishment of an agricultural exper-
iment station in the hill section Of
North Mississippi, After spirited
contest the station was located on some
thing over two hundred acres of land
near Holly Springs, 1t was especially
fortunate that the station was located
at this point, as Marshall county is one
Of the first settled in the State, and the
lands are badly eroded by time and lack
of attention. 1t was even urged that it
was a useless waste Of time and money
to try and reclaim these lands, but
what has already been accomplished
there shows the erroneousness Of such
a contention. Prof. c. Y. Ames is in
charge of the station and the excellent
progress made is a monument to his
ability What three years ago was a
veritable area of red gullies is today
fast becoming a model farm and pro-
ducing lavishly of the worlds needs.
The land has been properly terraced
and drained, the gullies smoothed over
and filled, the bushes cleared away,
and in short time Prof Ames will
show that Marshall and the surround
ing section is still one of the richest
and best in the State. The old Normal
School, for negroes, abandoned in 1904
has been remodeled and made into a
splendid residence. A commodious
barn has been erected and the stock
carefully cared for. The land is plant
ed in varied crops and the yield is be-
ing brought up to high standard.
Fruit trees command a central place at
the station and several acres are plant
ed in strawberries. Demonstration plats
show the relative value of varied fer
tilizers and methods of handling as
well as the adaptability of certain
crops to that section. This spring the
station will be ready for visitors, and
it is the purpose of Prof. Ames to in
yite the public at large to come and
see for itself what has been accom-
plished Excursions will be arranged
on the railroads entering Holly Springs
and thousands should take advantage
of the opportunity to visit the station.
The writer recently spent day at this
station and saw for himself something
of the work being done by Prof Ames
and and his assistant, Mr.. Flowers.
Those interested in the development Of
agfjculture, horticulture and stock
raising should visit the station by all
means 1t will prove of inestimable
value to the section in which it is
located if the people will only take the
proper interest and profit by the exam
pie set.
Columbus announces the location of
an immense lumber plant and planning
mill that will represent an investment
of something like $360,000 and employ
!. .lnent for more than 100 laborers. A
3 EPennsylvania concern is. back of the
enterprise and has ample capital to
push it to- q successful termination. A
/, Number of locations in this and other
4 States were investigated and the offer
of Columbus decided upon as the best.
That enterprising city on the Tombig-
bee'has experienced a wonderful period
df industrial prosperity during the
past few years, and has not become dis
couraged at a failure or so, but CON
tinues to hustle.
Some time ago the Kinds county
board of supervisors bought traction
engine for the purpose of pulling a
road machine to build roads. 1t has
been announced in some places that the
effort was d failure. This is only par
TALLY true. The engine was of thirty
horsepower and necessarily very heavy,
and the. trouble experienced was in get
tina.pyer the ordinary county bridges,
which generally are not constructed to
! carry 50 heavy q, load. With better
bridges the engine and road machine
would do excellent work. -Four men
with this outfit could build as much
road ina day as thirty men and thirty
mules. The machine will continue to
abe used by the Kinds county board of
supervisors.
\ Anent the proposition to reduce the
rate on rural telephone service, the
newspapers Of the State are doing
!, splendid service. A large number of
the best papers have ipdorsed the idea.
!. a farmer is not able to pay the rate
Sthat viii soon be charged everywhere
and is already charged in many places.
If the Service is to be extended to the
rural communities in general it is abb
solutely necessary that an equitable
rate and reasonable regulations be put
In force. The railroad commission is
willing to do what is right in the mat
ter and the people SHOULD let them know
what is desired. Through the commits
sion is the only hope of relief.
Friend Ellis OF the Walnut Grove
Dawn of Light makes mention, of col
lard that was brought to his Office and
measured four feet. He docs not state
whether this oollard was four feet in
diameter or circumference, but it
weighed thirteen pounds and was a
whopper anyway. Leake is one of the
most productive counties in the State
and will raise anything in the greatest
profusion that viii grow anywhere
Work will soon commence on q large
lumber plant at Hickory with a stand
ard guage railroad Of several miles in
length to bring the timber TO mill. The
plant will work something like half =
hundred hands nnd will prove a valua'
BILE addition to the enterprises of that
town.
The Newton woodworking plant is
inc: easing its facilitieslo Accommodate
u business that is enlarging day by day.
Surh ~ The experience OF almost every
ccncsrp u, the state