The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1910-10-14
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STATE FARM PROSPECTS cooo.
More Cotton Will Be Raised This Year
rs, Than Last Season.

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Jackson.-At the meeting Of the
penitentiary trustees, Col. Leroy Tay.
lor and Capt. w. A. Montgomery sub
mitted reports on crop conditions
for the month of September. While
these reports deal largely with crop
conditions, they also handle all mat
tiers pertaining 10 the prison system
as the trustees found them.
Crop conditions are excellent and
general conditions at the various
farms are good. The state, it is said,
will make more cotton in the Delta
this year than last, and the yield
Will be much larger, per capita, than
that raised by free labor.
The report on crop conditions fol-
lows:
I'VE find the crops, generally, on
state farms were skillfully and well
cultivated up to the time they were
laid by. and promised at that time an
abundant yield OF all products, but
subsequent to the completion Of cul.
tivation we realized that cotton, cspe-
cially, has d%eteriorated. very much in
consequence Of protracted dry wealth
er. boil worms and other causes. How
ever, the cotton crop of the state
farms will be more than an average of
the Delta, when compared with the
crops cultivated by free labor.
"Generalizing, the corn crop, pea
crop and all other hay crops, together
with the wheat crop, are abundant,
and as good as we could wish. The
policy OF the state, you know, Is to
raise everything which goes tt make
up s%ustenance for cOnvicts and stock,
thereby making the Institution self.
sustaining, after which as much cot
ton as We can. We are diyersifying
as well as experimenting with the va
riousc crops in order to test the adapt
ability Of our Mississippi soil to the
various products of the South. We
grow successfully, sorghum, Louisiana
molasses cane, ground peas, Kafir
corn, rape, potatoes, Irish and sweet;
oats, alfalfa and other products not
here mentioned, with satisfactory re-
suits. Our endeavOr, in short, has been
to observe, is perfectly as possible,
all sanitary laws which will initiate
to the good health and well-bei2g of
the prisoners, and general betterment
of the convict life. Our honorable SUI
perintendent, faithful physicians, SER
geants, chaplain and guards have per-
formed their duties during the admin
istration of this year with fidelity to
the state and deserve credit for their
painstaking efforts to accomplish the
best results under the prevailing cir
cumstances. We are also glad to
state that perfect harmony and per-
sonal friendship existed all the while
between the board and all officers con-
nected with the institutions this year.
The stock of mules and horses are
in good condition and have received
proper care and attention during the
cultivation Of this crop. We have
about fifty brood mares, bought last
fall, about twenty CT which brought
good colts this spring and summer.
We expect from now or to raise the
from the Middle and Western markets.
The state owns two fine jacks and we
see no reason why we should not raise
mules sufficient to cultivate all state
crops.
Our hog and cattle crop is con
siderably increased over that Of for
mer years, and the policy of the board
is to increase both hogs and cattle in
til we have a suf6ciency to supply the
wants of all the state farms.
"a good crop OF Spanish peanuts
were raised on the Oakley farm, and
they should be largely planted every
where. Hospital and prisoners are in
good shape. Belmont bids fair to make
is plenty of corn, and peas, and Louis
lana sugar cane there to supply the
home demand. The prisoners are in
good shape, although there was one
death on the farm last month, being
the first n Of one hundred and thir-
ty prisoners to die in over five years.
"Parchman, the ideal cotton farm,
with it's 10000 acres of open land, will
bring a good evenu to the state this
year., with her 5000 bales of cotton,
10000 bushels of corn, 10000 bushels
Of peas, plenty of sorghum moiasses,
potatoes, and 1900 bushels OF wheat.
want the new Superintendent to
ask the old one 10 have 200 acres
planted in wheat this fall, and same
amount in clover, SO the state can
raise her w meat and have her cold
storage plant.
"The health of the prisoners Is good,
and everything looks we'll" /
Urges Cultivation of Peanuts. |
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