Miss. Code Ann. § 47-1-37: Miss. Code Ann. § 47-1-37

In the cultivation of crops and the gathering thereof if it shall appear necessary, from the lack of convict labor, the board of supervisors may employ free labor at current prices to work on a county convict farm until such time as the convict labor may become sufficient to complete and gather the crops started on such a farm, and pay for the same out of the county treasury.