350 [Senate 



we can, in this portion of Mississippi, make an average crop of six 

 bales weighing 400 lbs. each, with corn and pork for the farm ; as 

 also, to rear cattle and sheep in sufficient abundance to give us beef, 

 butter, milk, mutton and wool, for home consumption ; and no doubt 

 but in addition, enough horses and mules to keep up the farm stock 

 of work animals. With this, we can produce a great variety of 

 choice fruits, with but little attention, and make wheat and grain 

 generally to supply all of our wants. Yet how is the fact 1 Almost 

 every farmer pitches his crop so as to give the greatest possible yield 

 of cotton, with enough corn " to make out with." In consequence, 

 he has no time from his cotton, to devote to any thing else, — neither 

 cotton or corn cultivated, merely kill, kill grass and weeds ; he makes 

 a little corn do, — less milk and butter, — and even less of every thing 

 else. Content with making as many bales as his neighbors, he cares 

 for nothing else. From these circumstances, the mere sojourner 

 draws his conclusiDns unfavorable to our soil and climate, presuming 

 that if grass would grow, and sheep would not run out, and hogs 

 could live, that we would have more, — thereby doing an injury to 

 this beloved country. Attribute this want to a bad system of farm- 

 ing, — to indifference or indolence of the farmer, and justice would 

 be rendered to all. Our climate is accused of being unfavorable to 

 the production of fine wool, of fruit, corn, grass, &c., &c., — with 

 bare credit given to it of ability to raise cotton, rice, and sweet po- 

 tatoes, — which, by the bye, are the only products that are grown. 



The above is mainly what now is, and what has been, but a change 

 is coming over the spirit of our system, — much of this want of care 

 and attention is wearing away. The farmers of Mississippi are be- 

 ginning to improve, and to provide many of the comforts and luxu- 

 ries of life, as well as the necessaries. I claim some allowance for 

 my brethren ; we are, comparatively, a young people ; fifteen or 

 twenty years ago, a great portion of this country was untenanted, 

 save by wandering Indians. Therefore, improvements to any great 

 extent, are not to be expected. The ignorance, or want of education 

 attributed to our citizens, though true, yet as the population now 

 here, are mostly from other States, the odium, if such, should be 

 cast north, south, east, and west, not entirely on this State. As our 

 country increases in age, a better culture and wiser exertions are per- 

 ceptibly advancing. To give one instance of this, I will here state, 

 that shipments of choice fruit have been made from Vicksburg to 

 New-Orleans, this season ; which business will increase so as to be 

 reckoned in the exports of this State. Two hundred barrels were 

 freighted at one time, on a steamer. 



This State, embracing an extent of territory from 30° 30', to 35° 

 north latitude, and from 11° to 15^ of longitude west from Washing- 

 ton, it must be supposed that] the soil, aspect of country, products 

 for market, &c., &c., would be very various, and so they are ; whilst 

 we have some hilly country in the interior. We have some of the 

 most broken and unique country immediately on the Mississippi river, 



