1022 



MISSISSIPPI 



45 inches in the northern part, the amount increasing to 

 about 00 inches in the extreme south. The winter tem- 

 perature is rarely as low as zero in any portion of the 

 state, while the extreme summer heat rarely reaches 100° 

 in the northern part; while near the Gulf coast 95° is 

 the usual limit. The first frosts usually occur in Novem- 

 ber, and spring frosts are rare after the middle of March. 

 The soil is extremely variable. The western portion of 

 the state, known as the Yazoo Delta, has one of the 

 richest alluvial soils in the world, and one well suited 



fur the growing of vegetables, 

 of the state consists largely of y 

 fcTtile and liable to serious injui 

 very fertile valleys between tli^ 

 ern section has a strong lime s. 

 five. Nearly all of the soutlur 

 sandy loam soil underlaid with 

 inches, makiiij; those lands an 



MISSISSIPPI 



about the last of May, and shipments continue from that 

 time until August, or later. Elberta, Mountain Rose, 

 Georgia Belle, Lilly Miller and Chinese Cling are among 

 the more popular varieties. 



Pears grow well in all parts of the state, and, until 

 about IS'Jo, were planted more widely than any other 

 fruit trees, but since that time the blight has been so 

 widespread and so severe that very few new orchards 

 have been planted. Fully nine tenths of the trees are 

 either Le Conte or Kieffer, the latter being the more 

 resistant to blight. 



Ajil.lr (rrrs make a fair growth and bear well for some 

 y. :u -. liui 111 r. , nil' less vigorous with age. and are shorter 

 li\iil tliaii in iii'ire northern latitudes. Nearly all varie- 

 11. s n|M n .hiring the summer and fall, and very few, 

 .V, 11 ..f til.. "I..ng keepers," can be preserved through 

 til. Willi, r. Till- fruit always commands a high price 

 ill III.- I. ..Ill markets, which makes the trees profitable, 

 iviii tli..iii.'li tlu-y last but a few years. Considerable 



Iruit sily Karly Harvest and Red June, is shipped 



from the nortlieastcm district, but no other part of tho 

 state produces enough for a home supply. 



Plum trees are of uncertain value. The Wild Gooso 

 ,.w nr- flie more common sorts, 

 ! ~..i I. .n hards may grow well 

 I . the majority succumb 

 I ].v. Cherries are rarely 



.. II .[iiitc commonly for homo 

 of tlie state, and in the Gulf 

 aportant market crop. The fig 

 does not succeed under orchard conditions, but a few 

 trees grown m-ar tlic liouse do well, and many of tho 

 older fr.-. - |.i ...In..- Milin |„,ini.!s ,,r nmn- of fruit an- 

 nually. :.■ i ' . ' II I'.'ii.ly tiiark.t at tli.' .■iiiiiiing 



factorir- I I ' I . : . I ill.- M..11 \ari.ty. ami the 



demaml i" 'i. I'l i ■: I ..■nts i..-r |...uiiil is lar in excess 

 ofthesiii. 'HI an- Kf'vvn alo.iKtlmCllIf coast. 



and the Japanese ' 

 and while some ti. 

 and bear heavily i 

 after producini^ i ' 

 successful. Fi^'s 

 use in the centra 

 coast district are 



but ev 

 make 





Am. .111 1 1 s strawberries are the most im- 



portant, 1.. iiiL -1 ..', II i.\ thousands of acres. They aro 

 grown miiri- cNtcnsivcly in the central district than else- 

 where, though there is a considerable acreage in tho 

 northeastern district also. In the Gulf coast district 

 tlie plants grow well and bear abundantly, but the fruit 

 t'r.iwii tli.r.. is usually softer and less desirable for 

 slii|.[.im: iliiiii that irr.'wn in drier localities. Bubach, 

 c'r. -.■. 111. liiiii.ly, Warti.-ld and Michel are the favorito 

 \ ari.ti.s. Mii|.ni'-nts lii-gin about the first of April, and 

 the hulk of the crop is gathered during the next six 

 weeks, though occasional shipments are made during 

 every month of the year. 



Grapes grow and bear as well as it is possible for them 



1. The nurlli.asi.Tii .li^tn.'i, .-..v.-riu-- III., territory 



along til.' M..I.1I.' 1.11. 1 iilii.. riiilr..iiil rr..ni Boone- 

 villesmiih I.. W'.-i I-.. ml. 



2. The central ilistrii.|, .•..\-.Tiii-: th.- tcrrit.iry along 



the Illinois Central railroad from Dur.ant south to 

 Brookhaven. 



3. The Gulf coast district, covering the territory 



along the Loui.sville and Nashville railroad from 

 Bay St. Louis east to Orange Grove. 

 Peaches are grown more extensively than any other 

 fruit, and are shipped to northern markets from nearly 

 or quite every county in the state. The long growing 

 season enables the trees to come into bearing rapidly, 

 and a small crop of fruit is usually gathered the second 

 year from planting, while the trees often continue fruit- 

 ful from 15 to 20 years. Although the trees themselves 

 are never injured by cold, the fruit crop is occasionally cut 

 short by spring frosts following warm winter weather, 

 which sometimes brings the trees into bloom before the 

 end of January. The early fruit is ready for market 



price. ( iiiiiii|.i..i III. I . II .... I ■ s and 



Scuppenmng | I.'- ,..'..,../.'../../ ,. i- n \i.liii.i.|. native 

 species which is grown in all parts of the state for home 

 use and for the manufacture of wine, but is not a ship- 

 ping variety. 



Blackberries and dewberries grow spontaneously in 

 all parts of the slat.' an. I l.n.-. i.r..\..l .11111.' i.i-..ritahle 

 in cultivation, th.' Lini'i M . ; i .• i i.hritls 

 beingthe favorit.- van. li. '.. , i ■ ■ i -...jse- 



berries do well in any im 1 1 ■ i m,. -1 'i . I.- III. '. make a 



new growth and i i.' im.. i.i....iii — n i.i i. r ilie tail rains 



begin, and .soon 1" in.' -.. ^.'iik.n. .1 i.s t.. he worthless. 



Raspberries do well wh. n ].li,iii..l ..n s..ils containing 

 suflicient moisture. I.ni ar. se|.l..in ur..wn for market 

 excepting in the imrtlieasterii district. Turner is the 

 favorite variety, and the blackcaps are rarely seen. 



The growing of early vegetables for northern market 

 is followed more extensively and is more generally prof- 



