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Starkville, Miss.
July 6th 1867

Bv't Maj. A.W. Preston
Act'g. Asst. Adj. Gen.

Sir,
  In compliance with your request I have the honor to report that the number of destitute persons in the Co. is about three hundred (300), three fourths of whom probably are whites. But little more than one fourth of an average crop was produced in 1866. Two thirds of the land cultivated in 1866 was planted in cotton — nearly all of the remainder in corn and wheat.
   The failure in crops may be attributed to two causes— 1st Excessive rains in early summer followed by severe drought. 2nd want of organization of labor among both blacks and whites.
   Three fourths of the land formerly cultivated is under cultivation the present year, three fifths of which is in corn — one twentieth in wheat, rye and oats, the remainder in cotton. But little  attention is given to the raising of cattle and hogs in part on account of scarcity of pasturage— this not being naturally a stock county in part on account of the limited means of  farmers, they