Oxford eagle., 1918-07-18
LIEUT.. T.-COV. ..RUSSEL[
VISITS STATE FARMS

Editor Eagle:
II you find the space would like to
give your readers an account of our
TRIP to the Parchman and Lambert
State farms.
My wife and | went down last week
70 visit our old neighbors, Uncle
DICK Matthews and wife. We were
'here about three days and in this
time were taken over the state farms
We have at Parchman about four
teen thousand acres in cultivation
and 1t shows up the best cultivated
iarm that | ever saw. Every part of
1t shows careful attention and the
cotton crop Is very fine indeed; the
corn crop is poor owing to the very
dry weather. Unless it rains this
week they cannot expect a half crop
ot corn. In view of the fact that a
large amount of corn was planted
Tins year that means a great loss to
me State. If the season is good cot
ton viii make good showing. They
also raised some very fine wheat and
were threshing when we were there.
As all of US who have read or heard
Of this farm know, it is the largest
farm OF its kind in the world. 1t is,
therefore, a great business institu-
ton that Is a credit to any country
and even now foreign countries are
patterlng after our farm.
Superintendent f. j. O'Keef, and
his large number of helpers, are max
ing tine progress in this work. They
make the above large returns; they
also raise some nice stock, some very
line hogs and are getting everything
an very fine shape indeed. When we
think OF the time only a few years
ago when Senator Vardaman broke
up the OLD leasing system and began
this new idea of buying our own lands
and working the convicts on same,
1t is wonderful to contemplate the
change.
Before this old leasing system was
broken up the convicts were cruelty
and brutally treated, and besides the
State had to spend thousands of dol
lars to get them worked. Just think
of the change. Now the convicts are
well and strong, as happy as men can
oe working for another and are hu-
namely treated. | never saw finer
set of negro laborers than those on
the Parchman. They hustle and make
no fuss about ii; they work them from
early until late, but feed them and
clothe them well.
The Lambert farm is just being
opened up. II cost, believe Sl25,-
10000, and il will almost if not pay
for itself this year. Some good bar
gain. This was bought under Gov.
Bilbo's administration and at his ur-
gent request. 1t is a great farm, just
about % miles north of Parchman.
Governor Bilbo also urged the leg
islature to buy an additional 5000
acres lying beside this new track, but
the legislature didnot heed his Sug-
restion-they made a great mistake;
the land is now worth twice the price
asked. From what has been done
with the Lambert farm it will be
seen what a bargain the State missed
4 careful business system has been
installed. expenses have been curtail-
cd. and in a short time the large
farms viii be producing their maxi
mum amount. 1t would be worth
while for every citizen to see these
big farms-they belong to the people
and help pay over one million OF their
taxes.
We also made a trip through sew
eral counties in the Delta, including
Coahonia. Quitman, Bolivar and Tai
lehatchie. The same crop conditions
mevail in them all except in the nor
thern counties they did not
need rain so badly as the others.
The Delta is a great section-the
greatest farming section IN TINS
nation If not in the world.