New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-03-26
THE LANDS OF LOUISIANA.

We have been favored with a copy OF
an interesting report made by W. j. @.
Baker, Esq, delegate from Louisiana to
the Louisville Convention, held last year.
The report is addressed to B. c. Yancy,
chairman Committee on Agriculture. 1t
is interesting, because it describes our
State, the nature of its soil and climate,
and what they are capable of producing
with the aid of man. Accompanying the
report is neat little map of the State. A
glance at the map, Says the report, shows
that the State is meandered by fine navi-
gable streams, which, with their minor
tributaries and lakes, make it one Of the
best watered regions on the continent. No
portion of the State is more than eight
hundred miles distant from New Orleans.
The State has an area of about forty
seven thousand two hundred and fifty
nine square miles, or thirty millions two
hundred and forty thousand acres, divided
by nature into upland, alluvial, prairie
and sea marsh. The upland is described
as generally level, though frequently un-
dulating, and sometimes interspersed with
sandstone and ironstone ridges, that never
rise more than two hundred and fifty feet
above the level of the sea. These uplands
are everywhere interspersed and pene-
trated by pure streams of water, con-
venient for agricultural and watering pur-
poses, and the soil is represented as gen.
orally productive, and Of mixture Of
sand. The streams have wide bottoms,
rich and fertile. These uplands, though
hitherto devoted principally to cotton and
corn, are described as being admirably
adapted to small grain, root crops, and
fruits of all kinds, and equal to any land
for grape and tobacco cultivation. The
report says that much OF this vast area is
unoceupied, and can be bought at prices
ranging from twelve and half cents to
ten dollars per acre, according 10 locality
and improvement.
The lands known as the prairie region
are represented as taking up about one
eighth of the State, and comprise the
principal portion Of the State south Of
Red river and west of the Atchafalaya.
They consist of vast expanse
If rich and gently rolling land gen.
orally elevated and dry, and watered |
~ numerous streams, which furnish con- |
7enient navigation to New Orleans and |
he Gulf shore. The soil of these prairie
egions is represented to be very rich:
md for steck-raising purposes they are
egarded as far ahead of any other region,
IS they abound in variety of natural
'rasses that grow the year round and
ford the very best subsistence for stock
f every description.
The alluvial lands are represented to
ccupy about one-fourth Of the area of the
tate, and are CT unsurpassed fertility
nd easy of cultivation. Here it is that the
rowers of cotton, sugar and rice have met
nth such wonderful success in the cult
alton of these staple articles of Louis
ina. The balance of the State is made
p of sea marsh, which comprises about
ne-eighth of its area. The lands of Lon
lana, according to Mr.. Baker, are held as
flows: The United States. 5000, 900
,res; the State of Louisiana, 4,647,O
,res; private individuals and corpora.
ons, 10, $50, 600 acres.
Thousands of acres Of the very best of !
nd are now lying idle in this State for
lie want Of somebody to cultivate and
axe them yield up their wealth. There
g thousands Of poor families that could
AXE home happy here, IF they were
lily among US to make the selection and .
tier upon the cultivation of the soil.
Europe it is impossible for the poor to e
} this because they can not, from the S
gh price of land, hope to become the
7ner of home. The same difficulty o
lists in the North and East of this {,
untry, where the lands are all taken I'D t,
d improved and can not be bought ex-
pit at a very high price. 1t is not so in
'ulsiana, however, where the land is fer
3 and the climate mild and inviting. :,
re the land is to be had cheap and t,
cd, and fortune is ia store for those =.
It can be frugal and industrious.