The Semi-weekly leader. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1905-1941, 1910-10-12
The Lincoln County Grain Growers.

the Lincoln IOunly dFdIn uEOWeESs
The Lincoln County Grain Grow
ers Association held an adjourned
meeting at the Opera House at III
o'clock Saturday to compare notes
and discuss new methods for maxi
ing the farm pay in view Of the
advent of the boil weevil. The
key note running through the meet
ing was, SOW big acreage in oats
this fall and get your oats in DUR
ing October and the early part Of
November. Incidentally it was
recommended that the members
experiment conservativeIy with
wheat also, devoting from two to
five acres in this grain. 1t is cal
culated that each farmer can easily
raise enough wheat to make all the
flour he needs for home and little
surplus. From a few experiments
made last season, it is estimated
that the yield that can be counted
on in Linconl county is from IS to
25 bushels per acre. 1t is advised
that the ground be well plowed and
narrowed and that the wheat be
sown in October. About 700 BUSH
els of seed wheat has already been
received and sold in Brookhaven.
President Estus Smith stated
that the biggest crop of oats was
harvested Iast~spring ever raised
in Lincoln county. He stated that
he had threshed out 5000 bushels
with the small thresher he operat-
ed. He estimates the average yield
at 30 to S5 bushels per acre. some
land producing as much as go BUSH
els. A market is assured in Brook
haven for all oats raised.
Mr.. Smith contends that,
whether our farmers and merchants
realize it or not, the day of raising
cotton in Lincoln county at a profit
with the boil weevil here, is past.
He argues that the farmer has
never prospered, taking one year
after another, raising cotton, be-
fore the boil weeviI came. and
many merchants likewise failed to
grow rich or bankrupted. How
then can any one reasonably expect
to make money raising cotton in
spite of the ravage of the boil wee
vii, when it couldn't be done sue
cessfully before, when the cost Of
making a bale is so much greater
now than ever before? 1t doesn't t
stand to reason or his own and
other trainers experience this year
to argue that it can be done, and
the farmers must of necessity turn
their attention to raising someth-
ing else.
Farmer Nola White, who was
present aud considers himself some
thing Of a boil weevil expert, spoke
along the same line. He declared
that the time has come when the
farmers must cease to think first
about making cotton or something
they can turn into ready cash and
go to work to make something at
home to live on and feed them
selves and their stock. If they
will do this the money question
will come around all right. The
merchant who furnishes a man sup
plies to raise boil weeyiI cotton
will never get his pay, he declared,
for the fellow can't make enough
that way to pay him.
Mr.. j. w. McGrath, who has
taken a very active interest in
helping along the Grain Growers
Association and other diversified
tion meetings and movements, was
present and manifested his ap-
proval of the views expressed by
these two speakers.
The proposition Of raising pea
nuts to advantage as partial sub
stitute for cotton was also discussed
at this meeting. 1t was argued
that profitable crop of peanuts
could be grown on land after the
oats were harvested.
The discussion along this line led
to the appointment of a committee
composed of Messrs. Estus Smith
and Floyd Middleton, to visit
Gloster and vicinity in Amite coun-
ty, where considerable experiment.
ing has been done this year with
Spanish peanuts. and from which
favorable results are reported, to
gather information at first hands
on the subject. Messrs. Smith and
Middleton left for Gloster over the
Mississippi Central Monday night
to be gone two or three days. The
result of their Investigations will
be given in The Leader little
later.
The Grain Growers Association
adjourned to meet again Friday.
Oct. 2lst. the second day Of the
County Fair.
c0larcd EYhihite n ahe ctafp Fair