The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1919-05-09
SWEET POTATOES.

During the past three months much
has been said in Grenada county
about the growing of sweet potatoes.
/ feel sur that at least a hundred
farmers have said to me that they
would be glad to grow sweet potatoes
If they knew they could sell them.
Believing that the farmers OF Gre
NADIA county are VI blue, and mean
to do what they say, i went to the
business people OF Grenada with your
appeal. Friday, April 25th we met
at the City Hall and it was agreed
to build not a potato house but the
best and most modernlW equipped
sweet potato curing house that is now
known TO the science OF sweet potato
curing. The cost OF this house is
$13,0 600, and practically all OF the
stock was then and there subscribed.
Tuesday following the stockholders
metsat the Grenada Bank and formal
ly organized. At this meeting a legal
subscription list was signed, officers
Were elected, and q charter applied
for. Il was also agreed that. IN or
def to insure an abundance o. oper-
ating capital the stock should be
raised to $4,000. and thus il was
written. 1t was also agreed 20 con-
tract with anybody in Grenada coun-
ty for any acreage that they wished
to plant in Nancy Hall potatoes at
the price OF 75c per bushel for No. I
potatoes fresh from the field.
Now men. where are WEI We pro-
posed TO grow potatoes if we mad a
market. and the market has been pro-
vided at great expense TO u fellow
business men, who are liberal, who
are liberal far-sighted and progress
siqe. They have volunteered to join
hands with US in developing the agri-
cultural resourcesof this county, and
we cannot refuse They have as
surned these heavy obligations upon
their confidence4in us. and their belief
that our representations were made
in good faith, and would De likewise
executed, and We must not fail.
Every farmer in Grenada county
has grown sweet potatoes, and every
farm contains acres that will grow
this plant, and grow it prontably.
Messrs. E. A. Penn. J. T. keeton and
w. D. Salmon visited potato districts
in South Mississippi, Tennessee and
Texas on a tour of investigation. and
if thse gentlemen's reputation for
truth and varacity was not so well
established we could hardly believe
their report. One man grew 1000
bushels Of potatoes on FIVE acres, an
other 200 bushels on one acre, and
still another made this statement.
Last year he planted twenty acres
to cotton and twenty to sweet pota-
toes. From his twenty acres Of cot
ton be gathered three bales, COR his
twent, acres Of potatoes ne received
$4,2O9.0e. They told Us OF land that
was bought for $40 an acre when the
pota:o industry first started and sold
for s1000.0 90 an acre five years later.
Milk and honey was plentiful in
the promised land. but the Jordon
hat to be crossed. and as long as
hat and tremble at "kadish Bar
ma" we. like the Hebrew Fathers,
must be content with penury and the
Common things Ct life. We've got to
axe the water to taste the sweets,
and so. dive in. Every farmer in the
county should at least plant n acre
<f sweet potatoes this year. and every
arge planter should encourage his
tnnants to enter the game. This is
sne o. the golden OPPORTUNITIES OF
the wear 1919. and let's not fail to
grasp the out-stretched hand.
o. F. TURNER.