The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1915-06-25
A RECORD.

AkEMARkABLE RECORD.
Atthe Grown in Mississippi" meeting held at
Jackson on June 10th and 18th, there were many
good and true sayings by the able men on the pro-
gram Ideas really worth while were advanced and
definite action on several important subjects taken
It was q great meeting insofar as the future Of the
Of Mississippi was concerned.
But when it came to an actual record of &C.
complishment. the good county of Madison must be
unanimously voted the winner. In a carefully pre-
pared paper by J. F. Flournoy. Jr, Of Canton, al
Of actual accomplishment was made that
should be told in every section of the State and
held up to all as an example worthy Of emulation:
Madison county imported in 1907 the follow
ing: oats, Y cars; hay, IS cars; corn, "a cars; meal,
So cars; chops. Z cars; or a total of 279 cars. Where
as, in 1914 this county shipped out a surplus of:
oats, 81 cars; hay, 268 cars; corn, 16l cars; cattle,
I'D cars; hogs, 16 cars; cotton ginned, 1887 bales;
l~espedeza seed sold, $500 bushels.
Taking the figures of the cattle inspectors we
have about 1900 head of good cattle, having i'm
ported in 1914, 156 pure bred and high grade bulls
and 100 cows, principally Shorthorns and Here
fords."
Readers can you realize what this means? It is
a most wonderful exemplification of Grown in
Mississippi" Suppose that every county in the
State could say as much, or even one-half as much,
what would it mean to our people?
Good cotton dollars were sent out Of Madison
county in 1907 to buy 279 cars of oats, hay, corn,
meal and chops, items that could have been pro-
.duced in that identical section for less than the man
up north who grew them and sold them at a profit,
to say nothing of middle men and the transportation
companies that must make, a profit.
In 1914, just seven years later, this demand has
been supplied by home production and 400 cars of
oats, hay and corn produced to supply the needs of
the other fellow. Instead of sending out perfectly
good dollars to buy these things that should have
been grown in Mississippi the needs of home were
literally supplied and real dollars gotten from the
fellow on the outside for a surplus of 400 cars.
There is more to tell. Only a limited number
of cars of cattle were shipped out in 1907, but in
1914 ia cars of cattle and is cars of hogs were ex.
ported. Look at the good bulls and cows bought
in that county last year. 1t means that in another
year or two, Madison will ship hundreds of cars Of
cattle each year, and a class of cattle that will com
mand the highest market price.
And Lespedeza seed. Look at the record
Who would have thought of trying to market this
seed seven years ago? Approximately $4,000 of the
other mans money brought into the county for q
product that only a few years ago would not have
been seriously considered. And while these crops
were growing the land was getting better every year
instead Of poorer as it did under the one-crou
system.
What Madison county has accomplished, prac
tically every county in Mississippi can equal if they
only will. This system will quickly rebuild the
tired cotton lands, and make them as valuable as
any acres in the whole country, and at the same
time make our people the most prosperous in the
civilized world.
This is the greatest exemplification of "Growr
in Mississippi that has come to the writer's atten
ton as yet. There are possibly others almost if no
quite so good. Would be only too glad to heal
from them and will endeavor to give their example
to the Mississippi farmers.
H. E. BLAKESLEE, Com'r, :