New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-11-01
COTTON CULTIVATION IN LOUISIANA.

30 MUCH IHOfc IL huoWu ny INC LtaliAS
public relative to the cultivation Of cotton,
than OF the cultivation of sugar and rice,
that we have given it comparatively little
space. although in the aggregate of value
it is by far the mos. important product of
the State.
The cotton lands Of Louisiana have
suffered more from exhaustion from con
tinued cropping than the sugar and rice
lands. Greater proportional benefits are
consequently now obtained from the use OF
fertilizers. choice seed, and improved ilnplc-
ments and methods Of cultivation. BY the
use of improved implements also as IN the
cultivation Of sugar and rice, much Of the
druid gerry associated with cotton raising can
be obviated. Nor is there any reason why
cotton farmers should not surround their
home with orchards, gardens and flowers
IN fast with all the comforts ani pleasures
OF country life, TO an extent impossible in
any other portion of the United States.
Three important facts should De borne in
mind by persons engaged or about 10 en-
gage in the cultivation of cotton.
Belt" including the whole OF Northern
Louisiana. possesses certain pc"ilia1it-es OF
soil and climate which make il the home OF
the cotton plant and secure to it natural
advantages Nnequaled in any other portion
Of tn. globe. and which must make it the
chief source OF cotton supply for american
and European markets. The Cotton Belt"
is unicvlaid mainly by the crc,accous form
alton whose mellow loan ispecUlaI!y favor
able 20 the cotton plant.
The nor.heas. trade win.i.. DETECTED
from ;hei- course by the mountain ranges
! of the I~th1nus. Central America and Mex
| leo 30 a. to become southerlv winds on tie
| gulf coast. bear over the ''CottoG Belt IN
| the summer months, the warmth and moi5
! ture arising from the waters o: the CARR
| bean sea and the Gulf Of Mexico. Hence, ita
scm-.ropical climate and the natural and
! regular system Of irrigation from the clouds,
which in InGia, Egypt. Brazil and Peru ha.
to be produced by artificial means. With
| these uncqualed natural advantages must
| be included the fac. that the cotton belt is
possessed, and mainly cultivated, by the
| Anglo-SaXon race--a race which has
achieved greater triumphs in agric ulturei,
| perhaps, than in any other pursuit. Nor
has any other cotton producing country in
the world :. system OF free labor 10 Dc com
| pared with our own
Second-Thc actual demand for cotton in
1869. :or American and European markets,
| ha1 wi ar no OGrp
! thar 5OOc 600 somewhat less than our own
product III iS5s-60,, will BE available, about
one-half OF which, it is estimated. viii be
| furnished by the Southern States. During
the last two or three years the product OF
India and Egypt has steadily decreased,
! Will. or. j. on the increase. In Orissa
and Easter, Bengal $40, 900 souls persisted
from, starvation in 1866, when the largest
Indian cro,. was made. IL Egypt 5000.
soul. r.rshed in 1860. from -. same cause
i.c. starvation, caused by forcing .hc pro
duction 81 cotton upon lands thar shoulc
iay. been appropriated. - '.leadstutfs
Aside from the high price and difficult ten
y,re % land in Egypt and India. the want o
transportation IN the latter, ana the almos
universal necessity for ArtIi.c!a! irrigation
those two countries can barely feed then
enormous populations.
| Tho small cotton product .. Brazil, PERI
and tine Yves. Indies is slowly increasing
but by 10 means in proportion 70 the de
crease from Asia and Africa. Tie inference
from the above is that the world must lool
to the Southern States to supply the pres
ent deficiency, and mainly, also. to suppl
the increasing demand in the future
Hence, also. our cotton planters and farmer
may anticipate full prices for years to come
No one need hesitate to invest III the cheal
cotton lands Of Louisiana from fear of SUI
plus OF the great staple.
Third-It is reasonable to suppose tina
the ravages Of the cotton worn-that terri
BILE scourge of the South-will. in the cours
of a few wears be avoided. The caterpilla
has its natural enemies among carnivorOu
insects las for example many species OF tn
ichneumonidn). Ultimately, we may hav
, to turn these to account as il
f New York city, and elsewhere, wher
the worms that infested the tree
in the public parks have been al
:, initiated by the introduction of the ittl
English sparrow. know Of one instanc
where cotton field, bordered on thre
sides by strips of woodland, in which grea
numbers Of blackbirds congregated for tn