The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1914-10-05
DEALERS REPORT SALES OF SEED
HAVE TRlPLED IN TWO MONTHS
Mixed Corn Will Bring Almost As Big
Returns as Average Cotton Crop
And Land Greatly Improved
Changes Easily interchangeable
Move Absorbs Good Percentage.

Memphis, Tenn, Oct. Sin the
same spirit which turned from defeat
to industrial progress against great
odds, southern planters now are turn
ing from cotton to diversified crops,
and there is every indication that once
again the agricultural men of the
south will snatch prosperity from dis
aster.
Every report which comes in indi-
Gates that planters are planning for
prosperity in 1915 by planting wheat
and oats and corn, rye and crimson
clover on the cotton lands, and that
they intend to follow up the cover
crops by planting corn and peas and
soy beans instead of cotton next sea-
son. 1t appears certain that the 1915
acreage of cotton will be smaller than
for years, and it is certain, say those
familiar with conditions, that the re
turns from the mixed crops will bring
almost as great returns as the aver
age cotton. crop, while lands will bt
improved greatly.
Some changes in methods will hav'
to be made, agricultural men say, bu
, these are simple changes and easil,
made. AS the diversified crops re
, uuire less labor than cotton, the finan
cial returns will be almost as grea
as in cotton planting, because the e,
, pense of growing and handling is les
!. sened considerably.
With the buy-a-bale movement al
sorbing a large portion Of the preser
q crop of cotton and with the promise
Of a great reduction in next year
q crop, cotton experts say that the fl
ture Of this years crop is improve
q greatly.
One of the best indications Of tn
intentions Of the farmers and planter
ia given in the business done by see
companies here. Representatives
Dir. B. Buchanan, the Tucker-Most
Seed Company, the Memphis Seed
Il Plant Company and Otto Schwill
Company reported Saturday afternoe
that sales of cover crops had triple
and quadrupled over the sales of la
year. The representative Of the firn
m were united in saying that many
ID their largest customers had decid'
ar to plant little or no cotton next yes
W but would follow the cover crops wi
I'D corn, soy beans and peas.
y One of the difficulties which h
been encountered in planting wheat
= the south has been the scarcity
1g equipment. Threshing machines a
to needed and these usually cost
ce much to be readily available for t
he small planter. However, there is Sc
to be movement on foot in sevel
. neighborhoods to secure commun
I thresher for the purpose OF handii
the wheat.
Agricultural men say that while
tle' wheat has been planted in
south, this has been due to the adv
tages of cotton, but add that wit
equal to that from any part OF
country can be grown in most OF
southern states.
The conference of cotton represer
| tives in New Orleans resulted in
passage of resolution asking
; ducd acreage next year and conn
tees " ere appointed to make an apr
to the planters and to- the gov'
: ments O.. the various southern sta
The first state which will be
preached on the subject is TIE
The Legislature 1t in session an
committee from the No~ Orleans
ference passed through Me1ohis
night on its way to Texas. This
|, mittee is composed OF e. f. Noel
R mer governor Of Mississippi; Ser
d McLaurin, j. L. Hebron, Walter {
and ]. H. Sherard, planters Of CT
dale and shellrd, respectively.
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