318 



of wheat sown, but for reasons already referred to by others, 

 the red Mediterranean is not sown. 



Mr. Cockrum, from Gibson, conckided the discussion. The 

 early settlers of this State, he said, had too little encourage- 

 ment for many years to be good farmers, but now things were 

 rapidly changing. In Gibson county it was formerly thought 

 that the oak and hickory lands were best for wheat, but now 

 it is seen that the black, rich, locust land is best. Last year 

 the yield in some of these lands was as great as 40 bushels 

 to the acre. 



He was of the opinion that a frequent change of seed 

 would be productive of the most beneficial results. The soil 

 and climate best adapted to wheat growing, ought to furnish 

 seed to those portions not so well adapted. The north part 

 of the State ought to furnish it to the middle and south parts. 

 He was led to this opinion by his observation of the growth 

 of various products in that part of Mississsppi where the 

 cotton first begins to show itself. 



If potatoes are sought to be raised there, it can only be 

 done, by planting the northern potatoe. The first crop from 

 them is a good one, but the second, from the same potatoes, 

 is only a half crop, and the third yields potatoes not larger 

 than marbles. So rapid is this deterioration. Their seed 

 corn is chosen from our Western corn, and it yields " the 

 rent" over their Southern corn. On the other hand, their 

 cotton seed is brought from the Red river country — further 

 south, where the chmate is more native to the growth of 

 cotton. 



As to the cultivation of wheat, he thought that harrowing 

 it in the spring after the frost was out of the ground, would be 

 beneficial. But the error committed consists chiefly in ex- 

 hausting the soil by long continued corn cropping, and then 

 by attempting to" put too much in wheat, especially after an 

 exhausting crop of oats. Bad ground, with bad cultivation, 

 cannot produce good crops. 



With regard to the time of cutting wheat he thought that if 



