The free press. (Poplarville, Miss.) 1890-19??, 1923-08-30
FARM NOTES.

OIL 1aTfueTS lTOfH LdWIcHCc, N"iAOAA,
Lamar and Pearl River Counties,
have visited the Experiment Station
going over the work in general and
noticing particularly the effects Of
fertilizers and different poisons on
yield of cotton. This week we have
advance notices from the County
Agents of three other counties
saying they would bring delegations
of farmers to visit U.S.. These will
come from Simpson County on the
north of Hancock County on the
south. All of these visitors have
expressed themselves as being
pleased with the work they have
seen on the Experiment Station and
particularly with the progress they
have noted in the town of Poplar
vile and the surrounding country.
Those of US who stay closely at
home do not note the progress Of
our community which IS 50 apparent
as to outsiders.
We have just returned from a
trip to Jackson, Vicksburg, Green
vile and intermediate points from
each we took automobile tours into
the surrounding territory. Condi
tions agriculturally may appear bad
around Poplarville, but with the ex-
ception of the heart OF the Delta we
saw no cotton materially better than
is to be seen around Poplarville and
even to be seen on the Experiment
Station. Here at the Station we
have some cotton that will possibly
make three-quarters Of bale per
acre, present boil counts showing
1900 pounds of seed cotton per acre.
but of course some of these will
i'ail to open.
As to corn we saw none any
where that would favorably compare
with the corn in Pearl River County
or with the most of the corn that IS
being grown on the Experiment Sta
ton. In Vicksburg we met party
who had just driven through Pearl
River County and he inquired of us
what had been done here to make
land apparently so poor, produce the
best corn he had seen in the State
His statement was that he had not
seen any corn in this part OF the
state that would make less han 30
bushels per acre.
One does not have to travel far
through the territory covered by this
itinerary without wondering what
the people who depend entirely on
farming for living will do this
winter. Over much of the territory
covered it would require from 10 to
25 acres to make bale of cotton ard
little of the corn seen would make
more than 10 bushels per acre. So,
after all, we have much to be thank
full for in Pearl River County and
while we regret more than words
can express the fact that our cotton
has done so poorly the failure has
been caused entirely by means be-
yond the control of human beings
and entirely out of the ordinary and
to Pearl River County. In more
northern latitude the farmers have
had the same troubles that we have
had with rains and boil weevil and
in addition thereto, the Army worm
have destroyed thousands of acres
of cotton, the same being late and
these worms having eaten not only
all the leaves, but the bolls and
squares as well.
The condition Of the cotton crop,
caused by the almost continuous
rains that have greatly encouraged
the boil weevil, has left slim out
look for a paying crop. Most OF the
cotton lands received heavy applica-
ton of nitrate Of soda and acid
phosphate as liberal fertilization
hastens the fruiting power Of the
plant, at a profit, if reasonable
season can be had. W
Would it not be advisable to plant
cover crops on the cotton lands
just as soon as the crop is picked?
A good cover crop will serve .
three-fold purpose; first, pillow under
stalks as soon as the cotton is all
picked, thereby destroyed in early
fall the food of the boil weevil; Sec
ond, cover crop will draw on the
available plant food in the soil that
would otherwise be lost through
teaching throughout the winter
months; third, cover crop will fur
nish valuable grazing for lambs,
pigs and chickens through the hard
months.
But few oats have grown in
Pearl River County, however this
is one of our most important crops