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illustrates very fairly the proportionate product of the whole cotton-growing belt 
in those years. He says: : 
The yield in 1860 was 40,000 bales; in 1866, 16,000; and in 1867, about 20,000. In 
1866, the culture of cotton yielded a fair profit ; in 1867 not one pound has paid the cost of 
production. ‘ 
He further says: 
Wheat grows well here, and can be produced in quantities to yield a good profit—the 
average yield being about ten bushels per acre. Our best lands yield from fifteen to twenty 
bushels, and by manuring a greater yield may be realized from average lands. But wheat 
and cotton cannot be grown by the same set of hands, because the sowing season of wheat 
conflicts with the picking of cotton, and the harvesting of wheat comes at the most import- 
ant season for working and thinning the cotton plant, a few days in the early part of June 
being the most important of any in the whole cultivating season. 
5. In the rich alluvial soils of Washington county “ wheat was grown during 
the war, and its yield was thirty bushels per acre.” White and red varieties 
have been grown to some extent in Yazoo; white preferred, as less liable to rust. 
In Leake a preference is given to the hardierred wheat. Red wheat is preferred 
in Winston. In Pike little attention is paid to wheat, “ though the grain is 
plump and the bran is thinner than in more northern latitudes.” In De Soto 
“wheat has never been to any extent an article made for market, though the 
county has two or three times before 1860 sent the first to the St. Louis market. 
In 1860 fully half the flour consumed was grown here; ‘in 1866 and 1867 very 
little was grown, though the land in wheat in 1867 yielded a good crop. A 
very large breadth of land is now in wheat.” The usual time of sowing is 
between the 15th of October and first of November, though many sow in the 
early part of October, and some in the latter portion of September. The time 
of harvesting is generally the last week in May; early varieties, with good 
season, are cut somewhat earlier. There is no such thing as drilling wheat 
known in the State, unless as a rare exception. No case of drilling is noticed 
in the reports. The culture is primitive, if not rude. In Winston the wheat 
is ploughed in after sowing, without any preparation whatever. Jn Yazoo it is 
reported that the ground is ploughed-before sowing, and then harrowed in. In 
Attala the first process is sowing, followed by ploughing and harrowing. Other 
counties adopt these various modes of culture. * 
6. In De Soto réturns represent that “our indigenous grasses are ‘ Nimble 
Will’ and crab grass, the latter a fine juicy grass which comes up in May, and 
grows with great luxuriance on ploughed lands until frost, and may be cut two or 
three times.’ It comes up after wheat, and by the use of manure, such as plaster, 
could be cut once or twice after harvest, and make a good yield. It is equal 
to any hay in the world when properly saved. It is an annual and our finest 
native grass. ‘Nimble Will’ grows only on rich fresh land. For summer 
grazing we have nothing equal to the ‘ Bermuda grass,’ a joint grass which has 
noseed. Except under very favorable circumstances it does not get high enough 
to cut for hay, but no amount of grazing hurts it; it will grow on until frost, 
no matter how hot or dry the season may be. Most persons fear it as too 
difficult to eradicate; many think it the finest grass of the south” The length 
of the season is variously stated, from 6 to 12 months. The fact is, that stock 
are never fed to any appreciable extent, with the exception of horses and 
mules. Sheep and cattle pick up their living in the winter months, as in sum- 
mer. It is true that sheep and horned stock, as well as horses, are sometimes 
treated to occasional winter pasturage upon rye or barley sown in September. 
With this help it is possible to keep large flocks of sheep, with little expense ; and 
other kinds of farm.animals may be brought through the winter in good condi- 
tion without other feed. The price of pasturage is estimated at very low rates; 
in some counties as low as $2 or $3 per season, while others range higher, up to 
$1 per month. 
7. Figs and peaches everywhere abound, growing rapidly and bearing pro- 
