The Durant news. (Durant, Miss.) 1882-1985, 1948-01-29
63l Lond Owners
With lac, 466 Acres
Cooperate On Program


and drainage were practices in which
outstanding accomplishments were
made by the Holmes County Soil
Conservation District during 1947,"
states H. p. Watson, chairman Of the
Holmes County Soil Conservation
District Commissioners.
There are 80 land owners who
have had a complete use plan de.
veloped on their farm during the
year, covering 10,841 acres. This
gives total of 631 cooperators with
total of 140,466 acres. Soil surveys
were made on 26,615 acres this year
with total to date of 239,696 acres.
There have been established 1858
acres of crop rotations, $685. acres
of contour tillage, 7,450 acres Of per-
manent pasture, and 7,777 acres oe
land properly drained. Also 1850
acres have been terraced, 189 stock
ponds constructed, and SO ponds
stocked with brem and bass.
In addition, the farmers made good
progress in establishing other pract-
ices which were planned in their
conservation program. The Soil Con-
servation Commissioners requested
the district technicians to encourage
and assist the cooperators during
1947, (D to utilize all idle land, "a
to establish kudzu on eroded areas
(3) to plant wild winter peas on
areas that could be used for grazing.
~ to establish all soil conserving
and soil building practices planned.
for each farm, (S to develop a con-
servation farm plan for all interest,".
ed farmers in the district.
The technicians placed their main
efforts on these phases and the fol. -.
lowing things were accomplished:
There were 1920 acres of idle lana
developed for permanent pasture and
an additional $500 acres fenced
ready to be developed. There would
have been more pasture land de-
veloped if additional minerals and
cattle wire had been available. We
were able to establish only fourteen
acres of kudxu. However, the coop
orators planted % tons Of wild VIM
ter peas for grazing and soil build
ing on 2,264 acres. Also 1850 acres Of
oats were planted for winter graz
ing. Each cooperator developed one
or more soil conservation practices
on his farm during 1947.
There were not as many farm
plans written during 1947 as in 1916.
however, there was only one techni-
clan part of the time writing plans.
We have stressed to the technician
that we prefer to get more conserva-
ton practices established on the
farms already planned rather than
to continue writing plans that cam,
not be serviced.
The District is making progress in
assisting cooperators in establishing
grazing programs for both summer
and winter grazing.
Hoover MAXWELL of Pickens, stated
that he planted 100 acres of oats for
winter grazing and grain at cost Of
$500 per acre. He further stated
that he will get not less than $4,000
per acre from the cattle he has al
ready fattened and sold from this
pasture and those that are now
grazing. This will give him a net
profit of $500 from the 100 acres
of winter grazing crops. Mr.. Max
well also stated that he should har-
vest 40 to so bushels of oats per
acre this summer with additional
grazing to be had after the oats are
Henri Watson, Jr., of Lexington
stated that he seeded so acres of
wild winter peas on bermuda sod
pasture and it is carrying two cows
Der acre and they are fat enough to
butcher.
There are many other farmers in
he district who are getting as good
profit from winter grazing as these
farmers.
The detectives we are setting up
or 1913 are as follows: (D to con-
inue bringing idle land into profit
able utilization, (2) to assist all inter-
,sted cooperators in developing COM
olete grazing programs on their
arms, 90 to continue establishing
drainage, where needed, on all CO.
operators farms, (4) to assist the
armers in developing flood control
,lans and carrying out soil and
water conservation practices within
he flood control areas Of the dis
riot, (5) to assist the Saints Indus
rial School in establishing a sound
program with empha-
is on dairying to be used as de-
unconstitutional project for increasing
interest among the young negroes
f the district in dairy farming, and
g. to develop farm plans on so ad-
itional farms outside flood control
reas.
The Saints Industrial a private
chool referred to in the 1948 object
We, owned 800 acres of land with ap-
80 acres in cultivation
nd the remainder will make good
T.