The Washington herald., 1909-05-02

/ In discussing the soil resources Of the
Southern States II is necessary &c hold in
mind the immense magnitude OF the sub
ject- Texas alone OF the southern States
( has land area greater than thar OF
either France or Germany. The aggre-
( gate land area Of these states is as great
a. the land area Of Western Europe. Be
ginning in the West. the State Of Texas
| contains probably the largest body OF
partially developed agricultural lands ye;
I remaining In the United States.
The great stretches OF prairie land in
; Central and Northern Texas are rapidly
developing as cotton lands and as the
/ great Southern home Of corn and alfalfa.
/ Upon the basis OF corn and alfalfa alone
/ the meat production Of Texas may De
vastly increased. and as the public range
land Of the more northern States is oc-
cupied by h0mesteaders and subdivided
into farm lands the prairie farmers OF
Texas win meet an increasing demand
for beef and pork. which can he produced
Al a minimum expense on the basis or
Texas corn and alfalfa
Raise Cuban Tobacco.
The soils OF Northeastern Texas pro-
duce a grade Of cigar filler tobacco which
compares favorably with the best IN the
Island OF cuba. The area OF Texas soils
which can be utilized for this crop IS
measured by square miles and not by
acres. TIE acre value Of the crop far ex-
1 ceeds that Of cotton. corn. OF any other
product OF The region.
The development Of the rice and sugar
cane industries through the Gulf portion
OF Texas is in its infancy The exten-
sion OF The sugar industry IN a single
county Of Texas Is on such scale that
the rivers must be deepened 10 furnish
transportation for the output OF a single
group % plantations
Across the Sabine River In Louisiana
the numbering Industry has made such
progress that thousands Of acres Of land
previously forested are being thrown
open 10 agricultural occupation. All
I through Western and Northern louisiana
TIE sandy loan soils are suited 70 cotton
production. to fruit raising. and vegetable
gardening The swamp areas living in
the southern part Of tie state are being
developed by private enterprise and the
rich sHuvisl soils OF the Mississippi delta
s;ni remain practically untouched except
along the front lands ard the bayogs-
Less than one-haif of the land area or
Louisiana is nov Included in farms and
not over one acre in six was reported a.
/ improved land by the census Of 1902.
Rich Lands on the Rivers.
There are SEQ square miles Of aIluvial
bottom lands between the Yazoo and
Mississippi rivers IN the State Of AIissis-
sippi About . per cent Of this land IS
cultivated and the balance awaits drain
/ age and occupation. This land consists
Of the cream OF six OF the richest pral-
re States washed down the river and
deposited Al the front door OF the State
OF Mississippi. It's development and oc-
cUpaIion are awaiting cniy proper leyee
systems and drainage.
In the southern part Of the State lands
formerly occupied by extensive forests
are found well suited 10 the production
Of several varieties OF cotton and the
seacoast section Is beginning 20 be devel-
oped for the extensive production Of
Z tEEAk ana II A4A NAttt- All -Ntla AAaEr1- =
Mississippi another belt ef black prairie
exists similar 20 the alfalfa soils or
Northern Texas. Pioneer planters are
now reaping profit Of So per acre
through the medium or this crop.
The soil survey work IN Alabama shows
that the Gulf counties are well suited 10
the production Of all the truck and fruit
crops common 70 the Gulf Of Mexico
o 1~4nwcf~fa -
land available fOT cotton and favored
situations can he occupied for growing
sugar cane NOrthward IN the state the
req soils OF the Orangeburg series are
suited 10 growing the Cuban filer type
OF cigar tobacco. and \ start has been
made in the introduction OF this crop
The Black Belt mentioned in Mis-
sissippi. extends throughout the central
portion OF Alabama. giving opportunity
for the production Of alfalfa In the
eastern and northern parts Of the State
are extensive areas Of soils we'll suited
10 apple and peach production. while the
northern limestone soils along the Ten
nesSee line have a higher value than has
yet been appreciated for the production
Of wheao and other grain crops.
Florida Yet UHdevelOped.
The peninsula Of Florida. with its pecuI-
isrities Of climate and soil. gives an east
ern semi-tropicaI region unique among
the Southern States Not enc acre in
twenty Of Florida lands is yet developed
With proper drainage there are thousands
o. square miles OF land within the state
which may be utilized for the production
uf staple and special crops. In the north
western portion OF the state the tobacco
industry has rapidly developed Both the
SUmatra wrapper and the Cuban filler
tobacco are produced In 1862 5000 acres
OF tobacco were planted in Florida. CIV
ing yield OF 100000 pounds. with q
farm value of less than half a million
dollars In 1877 the acreage amounted to
1.500 acres: the weld was nearly 7000. 600
pounds and the farm value was g ~. 0Oa.
The area OF tobacco soils in Northwess
Florida is sufficient 10 sllo@ a tenfoId
multiplication Of this profitable tobacco
industry There has been a woaderfui
Development Of the citrus fruit and truck
iHg Industry throughout Florida. but wita
ae0c0Go acres of undevelOped land the
beginning has just been made
Diversity in Georgia.
The soils Of Georgia present a wide di-
versity in agricultural opportunity. Rice
and Sea Island cotton along the seabosrG
lorE-SlaQle upland cotton In the south
eastern counties. tobacco in Southwest
Georgia. fruit and cotton through Central
Georgia and grain and apples tn North
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