The Semi-weekly leader., 1910-10-12
A VISIT 10 MADISON.

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of recreation spent at Allison $
Wells, the famous health resort
near Way Station in Madison coun-
ty. Though near the close Of the
season, he found Is or 20 guests
when he arrived and they were still
coming and going every day when
he left. The reputation Of the All
lison Wells water for liver and
kidney ailments, indigestion and
maIarial troubles, and their famous
sulphur baths for skin diseases have
gained wide and favorable repu-
tation which is spreading with each
returning season.
While at Allison's we ran up one
day to Camden, ten or twelve miles
northeast Of the Wells, to take a
look at the Madison County Agri-
cultural School, which was Iocat-
ed at that ancient village in
1908. The school had a hard strug-
gle the first year of its existence,
owing to the law which authorized
the creation of such schools being
declared unconstitutional BY the Su-
preme Court, and it was only saved
as a county agricultural school by
the Legislature at its last session
remedying the constitutional de-
feet.
The school has now started off on
its second annual session under the
most gratifying auspices.
It has two excellent wooden two-
story buildings, situated in the
eastern edge ofgthe village, one for
study and recitation purposes and
the other as a dormitory for board
ing pupils. These are situated two
or three hundred yards apart with
ample grounds attached. There is
a faculty of seven teachers and 175
students have been enrolled to date.
The old village of Camden, long
wearing ramshackIed and rum
down-at-the-heel appearance, has
taken on new life and growth since
the location there of this school and
a new inspiration and purpose
seems to have entered into the
farmers of that section. Both in
the town and surrounding country
there are many evidences of i'm
provement.
Before the civil war, Madison
was a succession, in all directions,
of large cotton plantations worked
by slaves. At the opening Of the
war. it was the largest cotton
producing county in Mississippi
save one Wilkinson. In the
average intelligence and wealth of
her white population, she probably
stood at the very head of the list.
It is remarkable how the land
around Camden and Allison's Wells,
as well as in other portions of the
county, which has been under cul-
tivation for Is to 100 years, re-
tains its productive energy. Many
of the old plantations have been
largely converted into stock farms,
and it is noticeable that in many
places a cedar growth is springing
up in some of the old fields and
open wood lands, and some of this
new cedar growth is already of
sufficient size for fence posts and
telephone poles.
The cotton in North Madison this
year is about as fine as we have
ever seen it. The boil weevil has
done little or no damage in that
section this year, though his out
posts have reached several miles
north of Canton. A good deal Of
cotton was seen in North Madison
that would make from a half to a
bale to the acre, according to the
land and the cultivation it had re-
ceived.
On our way back from Camden
we stopped on a farm at Sharps-
burg to see the first steam ploW
operate which has been introduced
in that section. It was being run
By Mr.. Heath, a farmer who. came
from the Northwest seven years
ago and located in Madison. He
said that he had decided after
mature deliberation that he
couldn't 60 up against the boil
weeviI with negro labor without
being bankrupted, and SO is going