The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1871-08-05
Louisiana Crop Prospects,.

w q III Sdo - N't Nt~ ANSs
that our country farmers, generally, are
snticinatinc good crops, and are feeling
extremely sanguinc of securing a good har
vcst-[Baton Rouge Grand Era, July 22d.
Cheering reports of the crops come to US
from all parts of the Parish. The cotton is
doing well and promises a large yield.
Many of our planters viii commence pick
ing cotton about the middle of August. The
cane still continues 10 improve. - Lafayette
Advertiser, July 29.
The extremely dry and hot weather for
the last three weeks has greatly diminished
the prospects Of the corn crop.-[Bossier
Banner, July 22d.
We but express the general remark when
we state that since the advent Of spring, up
to the present writing, the season has been
one of the best for cultivation and produc-
ton with which this portion ofthe State has
been favored for years. @.r
1t is no cxaggcration, we are confident, to
say, that the condition of the sugar cane, at
present, for the same breadth of land, was
never better. .. =
The area under culture in considerably
larger, in Plaquemines, this year than it
was last. Beside this, there have been
provided many Improvements necessary to
an economical and expeditions manufacture
of the different grades of sugars andsyrups,
which did not exist last year. The labor is
steady, and most of Inexperienced in sugar
%cnlturc. 1t is altogether probable, then,
that the yield will very considerably exceed
that of the past season.
The next principal product of this parish,
rice, has at present a promising appearance.
Tu,,-1 ln,n &c. tnt on fo,,utr vtoa fnrV in
cultivation this season as there was last, it
is thought that, owing to the better quality
of seed planted, closer cultivation, favor
able weather, and superior methods for
thrashing and hlllins, the yield will
fall off but little, if any. One thing the
producers arc confident of and that is, the
rice will be superior in quality, besides being
more marketable, because of cleaner thrash
ing and hulling, than the crop of 1870. The
reapers and thrashers will soon be in
among it. w.
But little corn is planted in this parish
not enough to produce one half of the con-
sumption. What there was cultivated has
turned out well.
We are glad TO notice the sweet potato is
receiving more attention than formerly.
This is as it should be, for it is a most
valuable article of food. The vines from the
slips are growing finely and promise we'll.
The prospect, then, all around the circle,
in this parish, is cheering [Plaquemines
Register, July 22d.
= From a private letter we learn the crop
prospects in some portions of West Fell
ciana parish, are not altogether discourage
ing. Though the seasons have not been very
favorable, cotton looks promising. Corn is
reported looking badly and it is calculated
the yield will fall far short of expectation.
In different. parts of this parish the crops
are light and backward but they are not
altogether diseouraging. Considering the
great disadvantages of the seasons they look
as well as could be reasonably expected
Baton Rouge Gazette and Comet, July 22d.
The injury to cotton by locusts on the
plantations above this place has been very
much exaggerated. They do not cut the
cotton plant, but puncture the stems and
deposit their eggs. They also puncture the
corn in the stem of the ~tassel, which causes
it to perish from the ound.-[Shreveport
Gazette and Flag, July l4th.
The crops throughout the greater portion
of the parish have improved very much
indeed during the past two or three weeks
of favorable weather. Corn will doubtless
rally under the last rains and Fill out better
than NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Journal, July
9Th.
Having returned from q trip to the coun-
try on Monday, we will give the result OF
our observations. The heavy rains which
visited this locality a week since. did not
extend over the parish. In the neighbor-
hood around Greenwood the drought is still
severe and only here and there have light
showers passed across the country. The
corn is very small, and even with good
rains it would not in many fields, be able to
stand alone if required to sustain ears OF
corn. The late corn we may pronounce a
total failure on thin uplands. Where early
corn was we'll cultivated, ndIcrtilizors
were used, it is very fine, but u%nfortunately
a very small proportion of the crop can be
embraced under this class.
The cotton is exceedingly small in some
fields it has not begun to grow and will not
do SO until il rains. The best fields of cotton
we saw were covered with blooms. The
cotton was branching well, and was. filled
with forms. 1t is too small, and what is
worse, the stands are invariably bad.
The dry weather has enabled the planters
to destroy the grass, and the crops are
cleaner than they were last year. We ven.
Sure the opinion that not over a half yiels
of corn will be made, and about two-thirds
yield Of cotton, as compared with last year.
While some Of the crops of cotton arc
nearly as good us they were last year,
others are much worse. We regret not
beingable to make a more favorable report,
but facts are stubborn things, and we have
stated them. shreveport Gazette and Flag,
July 2fst.
N;cuhslifsnc