The Lexington advertiser. [volume] (Lexington, Miss.) 1904-1985, 1949-10-20
THROUGH
HAZEL
EYES
BY Hazel

county farmers is the report that
Holmes county's cotton acreage
for the 1850 crop has been tenta-
lively set at $4,000 acres. This
figure represents a decrease of IA
and one-half per cent in acreage
since 194l, or 10000 acres.
The year 1941 is used because it
was a year of restricted acre. snd|
the last crop measured by the
AAA.
During l941 Holmes county had
in cotton (by AAA measurement
59.O79 acres with an average yield
Der acr of 220 pounds. A total
Of 1924 bales were ginned that
wear in Holmes county according
to Federal census ginning reports,
reports which are generally e
cognized as being accurate.
Now officials have based Holm
es county's new 1850 crop acre
o on the estimated acreage IN
1945. l946, 1947 and l948. Figures
for the four years mentioned were
estimated only since the crops
were not measured by AAA IN
those years.
Obviously these figures are
wrong-since the total acreage IN
cotton according to them gives
Holmes county an average per
acre yield of 367 pounds plus for
the 4-year period (1945, 1916, le4f
and 1948).
For instance, during the year
1913. the officials estimated we
had in cultivation in Holmes coun-
tv $500 acres in c~otton-but adj
nit this is only a guess because
accurate reports are not avail
able. Holmes farmers instead Of
filling in the reports sent them
bv the government must have
filed them in the waste basket
for they did not get back to the
officials.
AS a matter of record Holmes
county pinned during 1948 a total
of 58.059 bales of cotton (and
cross county ginnings were lei.
Off which means, that if we did
have $500 acres in cotton the
wear Of 1948 we made an average
Weld per acre of 1.04, a yield a ut
tie more than a bale per acre.
Only one-third of Holmes coun-
tvs total cultivable land Is in the
Delta and the Delta cotton acre
age is less than fifty per cent OF
the total cotton acreage IN the
whole country. -,
The overall Delta cotton yield
sper acre was l.04, the same fig-
IRE as that of Holmes Coun-
ty. which shows that the Holmes
figure is grossly inaccurate. !.
Obviously Holmes county had
more than $500 acres in cotton
during 1948 to gin 58,059 bales
we are a good cotton-producing
county but we are not that good.
Farm leaders in this county
should. and we are certain that
thew will, do everything within
their power to consult with the
proper state and Federal officials
to e that Holmes county's cot
ton acreage allotment for the 1880
crop is substantially increased.
-
DR.. H. c. Kicks, representing
the State Board of Health, paid a
fine tribute to DR.. w. II. Weeks,
director Of our county health de-
hpartment, at the dedication cere-
mony Friday of the Holmes Coun-
ty Health Center at Lexington.
DR.. Kicks said DR.. Weeks has
done a grand job in Holmes coun-
tv and is the best health officer
we have ever had-a rather broad
statement to make-but one hat
fully fits DR.. Weeks in our opin-
ion.
Ever since he came to Holmes
county in l943 DR.. Weeks has Ia
bored tirelessly for public health
and the records set by the Holmes
department are by no means ac-
cidental. They represent hard
work and lots of it by not only
DIR. Weeks, but his whole capable
staff.
Indeed our Health Department
has come a long way from two
little rooms up in the County
Courthouse back in 1926 to the
fine SAT, 900 building it now oc-
cupies. The Holmes Health De-
partment was organized on that
date and has since continued to
serve and protect the people OF
the county in a fine way-and
In many ways not realized by
many of us.
The whole dedication service
went off in a splendid way and
reflected a great deal OF credit
upon members of the Business and
Professional Women's club of
Lexington who sponsored the af-
fair and together with the mem
bers of the Health Department
made all the arrangements.
A special word of credit and
thanks should be given Mrs. j.
r. Watson, the energetic and cap
I