Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1817-10-03

from the National htcHScaccr.
TO THE PLANTERS OF MARYLAND
AND VIRGINIA.

y
from the Na,iopaI HtcHigcaccr.l
TO The PLANTERS OF MARYLAND
AND VIRGINIA.
AHakapas, ( Lou. 4agWst 6.
have received several letters during the
last year from gentlemen in your states. re-
quesiing me To give them some informationre-
iative to Louisiana, and particularly of the
counties OF Attakapas and Opelousas. Ii ap-
pears thatthis beautiful and interesting sec ton
of the u. States is hut little knows As there
many of you, who have determined TO leave
Honr native state, and to seek your fortunes
in distant land, l do not think that can rem.
Ger you greater service, than by directing
yon TO Attakapas or Opelousas, in Louisiana,
and by showing you the decided advantages
which these two counties have over any other
parts of the u. States. In doing ii. [ will not
rely upon assertions, hut prove ii by facts aud
for this purpose ak You to read and TO re-
feet upon the statements aud observations
which am about TO make. Iaddress this pub
ieation TO you, because the em!grants from
YOnr states are generally the owners OF negroes
and of all kinds of property, the negroes are
the most valuable in Louisiana. Nv obserya-
lions will be confined solely to Attakapas and
opelousas.
Soil and Prodacts-The lands are generally
prairies, and very small portion of woodland
for cultivation. The prairies are mostly level,
but sometimes waving. Nothing can snrpass
the soft beauty of these prairies. In places for
many miles, they are as Level as if they had
had been cut by the shears then again they
uuduate, resembling the gentle but lofty rolling
ef the sea after "A storm has subsidized. Such
Is the appearance of that part of the Attaka-
pas situated npon the bayOu Fortne and the ri
yer Vermiilion, which has been called by
French traveller i'll his history, le Paradise d..
Monde" These prairies resemble natural niea-
dows, covered with eternal verdure; they are
inte,Spersed here and there with clumps of
trees and groves OF timber. The banks OF the
bayous aud rivers, which flow i'm every direc-
ton, are covered with woods, filed with the
sweetest soagsters ofthe groves. Ii is in these
prairies, some OF which are 100 miles in length
the large fiocks of horses * horned cattle ranre
The soil is very rich and produces beyond any
that has yet been tred-some fields have been
in cultivation for 40 years in succession without
any diminution of their strength; this is owing
not only 10 the soil but to the levelness of the
country, which precludes all washing. The
earth is very soft and easily worked. There
are no stones or pebbles i'll the country. The
soil of Attakapas is black or of dark brown
that of the Opelousas is of lighter color, and
nor as durable as that of Attakapas. 1t is i'm
these prairies that the planter establishes him
self, and nature has done here what il takes art
and hard labor years to accomplish elsewhere
The fields are already cleared for cultivation,
.here are no forests TO cut down before the crop
can be made, no chopping, no grubbing. The
planter has nothing 10 do but to build his house
enclose his field and commence ploughing-
Once that the crop is sOwn, with moderate in
duStry, the excellent quality of the land will
fnTnis! abundant crops of sugar, rice, indigo,
cotton, corn, potatoes, oats, &c. all of which
made in Attakapas in great abundance. The
staples OF OpelOusaS are cotton, corn, OATS
Sugar succeeds also very well in Opelousas(
but the lands of Attakapas yield much more
sugar than those of OpelouSas, and are far SUI
perior to those upOu the banks of the Missis-
sippi, and Immediately in the neighborhOod Of
New Orleans. On the Mississippi, an hogs
head of sugar per acre is considered as "A com
mon crop, but in Attakapas, a hogshesd and
half and two hogsheads to acre are the com
mon crops. Our sugar lands can be purchased
at present for one third of the price they are
selling for OH the Mississippi /; and the water
carriage TO market at New-O orleans, is at the
door of the planter. will annex list of the
crops made by some of our planters, which will
convey more correct idea Of the advantages
of this country, than any written description
can give.
Joseph Theaii-1SI6.
Is bales cotton, as " acct. sales 81 ,5Sj IL
100 barrels corn sold I2j 90
1910 II
hands only--S $40 o. hand, besides proyi.
sions in abundance for the next wear
Nicholas Lcrsetle-1SIG
90 bales of cotton, one Dbl. of indi-
go, acct. OF sales Also
7 hands ouly-s 5DJ lP hand, besides proyi-
sioDs la abundance for the next wear
Peter ROkerts-ISlG.
5,Asi lbs. of cotton, % cts. ! 52j
10000 lbs. sugar, Sl3 2,600
go Dbis. corn sold, - % $50
1876
hands only--S G2O " hand, besides provi-
sons.
Joseph Berrisk--IS1O.
30 bids. Of sugar S 1870 !, 800
hands onls 5 500 " hand, besides provi-
siens.
Wichcet Gordy-Isl6.
= bids sugar $3.50 $3.50
hands oniy--Ssi2 " hand, besides proyi-
siOBs.
james SuUnders-lSlG.
10 bales Of cotton, Is cts. ,2G0
3 hands AZ dollars a hand, besides provi-
si0ns.
George Singleton--lSl6.
q bales OfcpttOn 2,520
hands-G3O dolihTs ~ hand, besides prSyi.
sODs.
Sa,aHci Mee--lsIG
Is hhds sugar, each SiiO $50
100 sill.inoiasseS, at 49, cts. 267
2.2i7
, hands only 5 40 O. hand, besides provi-
siOns.
.I0ha ThcaH-1SIG.
II hhds. sugar, SIi0 $50
400 gaii. inolassCs at 33i cts. l3S 80
1853 30
, hands only--SisfHF hand, besides Provi-
sioiiS.
Ills sugar mill aud kettle cost kim only ~