The Durant news. (Durant, Miss.) 1882-1985, 1949-10-20
THROUGH
. HAZEL
EYES
BY Hazel Bronnon

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 decrease of Ia
and one-half per cent in acreage
since 1941, or 10000 acres.
The year 194l is used because it
was year Of restricted acre. snd
the last crop measured by the
AAA.
During 194l Holmes county had
in cotton (by AAA measuremen)
score acres with an average yield
per acre of 220 pounds. A total
Of 27,274 bales were ginned that
year in Holmes county according
to Federal census ginning reports,
reports which are generally re-
cognized as being accurate.
Now officials have based Holm
es county's new 1850 crop acre
age on the estimated acreage in
1945, 1916, l947 and 1948. 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 (l945, l946, l947
and 1848).
For instance, during, the year
1948, the officials estimated we
had in cultivation in Holmes coun-
ty $500 acres in cotton-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
by 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 ginned during 1948 total
of 58,059 bales of cotton (and
cross county ginnings were leit
Off which means, that If we did
have $500 acres in cotton the
year of l948 we made an average
Weld per acre of l.04, yield a lit
lie more than 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
per acre was 1.04, 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 l948 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
they will, do everything within
their power to consult with the
proper state and Federal officials
to see that Holmes county's cot
ton acreage allotment for the l95O
crop is substantially increased.
DR.. II. c. Kicks, representing
the State Board of Health, paid a
fine tribute to DR.. w. II. Weeks,
director of our county health de-
nartment, 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 that
fully fits DR.. Weeks in our opin-
ion.
Ever since he came to Holmes
county in 1943 DIR. Weeks has la
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 long way from two
little rooms up in the County
Courthouse back in 1926 to the
fine $4,000 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 fine way-and
In many ways not realized by
many Of us.
The whole dedication service
went off in 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