The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1869-09-04
After AM absence of two weeks

/ After an absence OF two weeks !
on aVisit to Arkansas, we again
resume the duties incumbent upon |
an editor. Having travelled by
Rocky Mount and Skies F3rry on
the Dorcheate, and returned on a
more southern route by Minden,
we had an opportunity of seeing
the crops and conversing with the
people on both routes. The cot
ton crops in Red River bottom
are excellent but the corn crop
rather below an average. On the
uplands in Bossier and Claiborne
parishes the crops were better
than usual, but far inferior to the
river crops, owing to the poverty
OF the soil. In Union county,
Arkansas, the cotton was suffer
ing severely on account of dry
weather, and the best planters
were lowering their figures every
day; having in some instances fall
len from 1000 to 500 pounds of
seed cotton to the acre.
There is a great deal of land
lying idle in Bossier Parish La,
and in Union county Arkansas,
and but little in Claiborne Parish.
In the latter parish there are sew.
eral thousand acres of fresh land
in cultivation and there is every
evidence of prosperity. The red
lands of Claiborne, where they
are not too broken and rocky, are
very productive, and there are
many fine plantations in the creek
bottoms.
The people, white and black
throughout the pine hills, are in
dustrious and frugal. They have
at last realized their poverty and
recognized the civil and political
changes which have been forced
upon us. The white population
are in a large majority in the
poorest districts, but they are
working manfully and have made
enough to meet their wants.
More attention is being paid to
stock of all kinds. The old pine
fields give ample range in sum
mer and where canebrakes are
near, large herds are wintered.-
The upland country through which
we passed is not very desirable
The lands are too sandy and are
inclined to wash. Fertilizers vii
either wash off or sink, therefore
1T is next to an impOssibility tc
improve the soil permanently
The country could not sustain {
dense population, but with the
present range, an industrious anC
economical people can and de
make a comfortable support
Il CaddO Gazette.
The CaddO Gazette man israth
er hard in his report on our up
lands. He finds large bodies o
land so sandy that manure placed
on it would sink. Doubtless hi.
eyes are equal to those Of Sir Hu
: dibras, who could see ghosts:
ut takes good eyes, ween,
To see what can't be seem
Now manure doeSnot sink wher,
) the soil for 20 feet is nothing but
: sand. On the eastern shore O
. Maryland and the coast of Nortl
Carolina, manure does not sink
' We doubt if in any character O
soil manure ever sinks, and W,
, think that no philosophical agri
cultufist will so assert. Manure
will benefit all our lands that ar
not too wet, whether sand or clay
All our lands by proper cultiva
ton can be prevented from wash
: ing.
1t is very true that we hav
much poor land F.; but this can cas-
! ~ be known, and the farmer nee,
s not attempt to cultivate it. o.
q our red lands, for instance, tn
L hills are covered with stunte,
; growth and iron ore rocks. The
are poor. The valleys will produc
Y a bale to the acre. The Gazett
has taken too high a standard {
: comparison. The finest cotto
u lands we ever saw, are on the roa
: from Shreveport to Benton. B
passing through these first, th
; traveller will be apt to conside