Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1912-09-13
Jos. E. Wing on Moxubee Co.
From Breeders Gazette. Sept. 4. 1912.

Ala. The way led through plantations, following
the winding roads between corn and cotton patches
of negro tenantry. A curious being, the negro; his
fields are seldom square or straight on any side.
Occasionally we passed through a field of alfalfa
newly cut; corn, cotton and alfalfa are practically
the only things grown in this land, excepting John
son grass, which stood by the roadside as high as
our horses backs. Then we entered a wide, desc.
late land where the long and silent roads were Dor
dered by hedges grown to tree like height. Very
level, very rich and very black was the soil and for
many miles. We drove through vast plantations in
hall. ruinous neglect, the owners not seeing their land
oftener than once or twice a year, turning it over to
negro tenants. AL this land would, with drainage,
be similar to the best lands of Ohio and Illinois.
Some day, no doubt. these vast holdings will be di.
vided and sold to farmers who will drain the land,
grow on it corn, alfalfa and some cotton. 1t is not
now swampy; tn simply wet during wet times, and
wet times come right often during some years in
Mississippi.
We emerged into q country of gentle hills or
sweeps of land, where the white chalk outcropped
and melilotus grew rankly. Here were negro VII.
lagos. and panoramas of sweetness and beauty as one
looked off for miles across expanses of cotton, alfalfa
or corn. These rolling lime lands are said to be the
best for all purposes. On every hand farmers were
busy at haymaking. We went into several fields
and watched them. Alfalfa here is sown in the
spring, because the undrained land may spew out
fall OWE alfalfa. 1t lis nearly always mixed with
johnson grass. The two grow right well together,
the alfalfa gaining a little but not eradicating the
grass. 1t is said that alfalfa will eradicate nut grass;
r ln~o AL:c - H. k,,A 6,k ho,,o ,-r Io.LA |
This is the manner of their hay making: Some
use s. mowers in cutting it down and say the draft is
not much heavier than with ordiESszay mowers. The
first cuttings Of alfalfa are often heavy; the midsum.
mer cuttings are light, as a rule. They do not much
use tedders but rake into %windrows, with buck rakes
bunch the hay and with the same rakes bring it to
the balers and bale it direct. No one stores hay in
the barn before it is baled. The hot sun of Missis.
sippi and the light swath usually seen make this
practicable, only that there is some hay wet, now
Inc ..then, in the field. Their market does nor seem
to require hay as do northern markets. Very rapid
ly they bale the hay. The negroes work hard and
fast. Our northern harvest hands work no harder,
If as hard. The haymakers' wages are 70 cents a
day; for boys who tie the bales, so cents. About
four tons to the acre is probably the average yield of
alfalfa. 1t is nearly all sold and shipped away
When l was there it why worth $15 per ton, on
track. They bale 20 tons a day. These lime lands
are truly fascinating. They are very, very rich in
lime. Drop muriatic acid on them and they foam
up f~uriously. Therefore they grow melilotus easily,
spontaneously, and alfalfa wherever not too poor.
Can lands full Of carbonate of lime get poOrl Yes
indeed, with go years of cropping. 1t is their nitro
gen content that becomes depleted. Legumes re.
store that and melilotus seems the legume for the
purpose, since it does not ask for much humus. As
yet these farmers seem not to cut melilotus for hay.
feel sure that it would we'll repay them; that it
would be a surer crop than alfalfa and grow nearly
everywhere without difficulty.
We talked with an old man. "My father
brought me here in 1888. Then the Indians were be.
ing removed. have lived here ever since and watched
the farming. / know fields that have not failed to be
planted to cotton any single year since that time.
We have ruined the country. We are the worst
farmers in the world.'
As q matter Of fact, he is mistaken; the land is
not ruined. 1t is too glorious soil in its natural
r makeup to let . century Of misrule ruin it, but it
o needs restoration. The chalk that underlies it is
water tight; the land needs drainage as bad as did
the lands Of central Ohio or Illinois. Tiles work
Z finely IN this land. There is ample fall; there not
one obstacle In the way of undertakings.
Happily some few have begun the work. They
= corroborate my story. H.. B. Gurler, well known to
the Gazett, is transplanted te this land; he looks the
. picture of hale robustness. astride a good horse, di.
Irecting his work. He has built good barns, slices,
/ got together good cows and does dairying much as
:. ne dd 1T in Illinois. He has laid tiles and they
work we'll; in fact, just as they would work in mi.
: nois. SO with Mr.. Cole, a large planter; he has one
u held underdrained; he can pillow there almost at once
|, after the rain.
like this country. There is q diversity of soil
Il types and a newcomer must study before he locates.
o OTTER soils near each other are of very different de.
= grees OF fertility, but its best soils are as good as I
I have seen anywhere The mon aro bic hnalAh..