Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1912-04-26
THE SOIL SURVEY OF NOXUBEE
COUNTY.

ture at Washington, ID. O., and a nun
!. Der Of copies have already been r.
ceived in the county. The prefator
letter Of transmittal states in par
Work in Mississippi has been carrie
on in CO operation with the State Of
~icials and the selection Of this area wa
made after conference with them. tn
survey was. however, urgently reques
ted by citizens of the county whose re
!, quests bore the Endorsement of Hon. E
S. Gambler representing the first con
gressional district Of which Noxubee i
a part"
An examination Of the map and tex
shows a large amount Of useful infor
nation arranged in chapters and cover
ing the important questions relating t.
Noxubee's soils. As the report is pri.
marily a soil survey q considerable por'
ton is devoted TO descriptions of the q
different types or classes of soil found
here.
DESCRIPTIVE FEATURES.
The first chapter is devoted to a gen.
eral description of the 629 square miles
comprising Noxubee county. Especial
attention is given to the BLACK prairie"
and the SANDY land" region. One
fourth the area is covered by first and
second bottoms Of streams, hence this
division of land is given merited atten-
ton. The present population averag-
ing only AZ per square mile gives rise to
the statement that the county is capa-
BILE OF sustaining a much larger rural
population than at present. Many
other features of local interest are dis
cussed.
The climate is fully discussed and its
many advantages set forth. An ex-
haustive table OF statistics appended
gives the average temperature and rain
fall for every month; also for the year.
Statistics of the wettest and driest
seasons are recorded. The average
temperature is given as Ga degrees,
average rainfall 53.4 inches. During
the driest year recorded. AS inches of
rain fell which was sufficient to prevent
a crop failure. The growing season for
tender vegetables is nearly 8 months.
Several pages are next devoted to a
detailed description of the agriculture
of the past gradually leading up to the
present farm practices. The production
OF cotton, corn, oats, wheat, melons,
potatoes. vegetables. apples, peaches,
ETC.. is discussed together with
the best methods Of soil management.
A chapter is discussed together with
The best methods of soil management.
A chapter is devoted to fertilizer prac-
tice, another to tenancy and rentals.
The production of home-raised beef,
mules and hogs Is encouraged. Noxu-
bee is credited with being we'll adapted
to the production of Bermuda and John
son grasses and alfalfa; these valuable
grasses being indigenous to the soil.
The prices paid for labor and impor-
tant changes in farming tools, together
with rentals. are described with the ne
cessity of a changed agriculture in view
of the approach of the boil weevil. A
concluding paragraph states: "The i'm
portance of adopting all means of agri-
cultural betterment including the use of
modern tillage implements. the terrac-
ing of the sleeper slopes. deeper plow-
ing. the growing of home supplies, the
utilization of waste land in which n
practical system of forestry should en-
ter. seed selection, studies in the eco
nomical use of fertilizer, the adoption
of soils to crops and crops to soils, and
the general Investigation of crops was
never more apparent than at present
when the county is entering on a new
era Of agricultural prosperity"
WIDE VARIETY OF SOILS A STRATEGIC
FEATURE.
The report discusses in detail and
gives the exact location of Is seperate
types of soil ranging IN texture from
heavy clay to loose sandy loan. Since
many of these types of soil are adapted
to different crops it will be seen that
Noxubee soils afford a great opportuni-
ty for farmers wishing to engage in
widely diversified farming. Each class
of soil is well described as to its location
number of acres, drainage, color. tex
ture, structure, origion, Topography.
yields, tillags. degree of erosion, tree
and other natural growth, and price per
acre. Past and present crops and Yields.
rotations, fertilizer practice, culture
and tillage of crops are discussed in n
manner certain to be of aid to the
farmer.
GREAT EXTENT OF FAMOUS BLAcKLANp.
According to the experts measure.
ments. Noxubee has no less than g.
S66 acres of Houston clay, the popular
alfalfa soil. The high opinion of the
Government is given in the quoted para
graph; THE Houston clay supports a
prosperous farming community o,a