The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1873-07-26
correspondence
YAzoo COUNTY, Mss, July IA, 1875

friend and schO0lmate, +. X. Manard, OF
the firm of Hillman & Manard, fruit
dealers, etc., on Poydras street. He is not
only a fruit dealer, but an experienced
nurseryman and fruit grower, and n
of the editors of the Rural Southland.
His father and brother reside on the
railroad about seventy miles above New
Orleans, where they have nurseries,
orchards and vineyards. Imet, in the
city, Mr.. n. D. Wetmore, whohasa vine
yard near POnchatOula about fifty miles
above New Orleans. He invited us to
visit him dlook at his vineyard. Leav-
ingNew Orleans, Thursday evening, 10th
inst, on the $50 train, we reached his
residence, about two miles from the sta
ton, a little after dark. In the morning
we went throughthe vineyard, ate grapes
to safety land assistedin gathering some
o rmarket. The vineyard is about eight
acres, four or four and a half of which
began bearing this year; and the vines
of the balance, six years old, were heav-
lily laden with grapes which had just be-
gun to ripen we'll. This vineyard, and
all others along the railroad, I was in
formed, are principally Concord, whichis
considered by the grape growers the
grape par excellence for the South. They
plant other varieties to a limited extent,
but the vineyards are all Concord. 1t
is among grapes, at the South, what In
dian corn is among cereals. It is a GER
tain crop, andis never subject to the dis
eases and general rot which often des-
troy the crops of other varieties in a
southern climate. The Concord is plant
ed In rows, with q post between each
hill, to which two or three tiers of lath-
ing are nailed for the vines to run on,
and the vines are six by eight feet apart
there being about seven hundred vines
to an acre. After the vines are five OF
six years old they yieldfrom twenty-five
hundred to five thousand pounds Of
grapes per acre annually. It was sup.
posed that this vineyard would yield foul
thousand pounds per acre this season.
After %partaking of the kind hospital
ties of Mr.. Wetmore and his amiablC
and accomplished wife, we all three
Nh. Manard, Mr.. Wetmore and myself
returned to Ponchatoula station, an(
took the morning train, on Friday tn
18th inst, and went fifteen or twent,
miles further up to independence, t,
visit the vineyard and nurseries of Nh
r. D. Manard, brother of our travelin;
host, and his father. One of the nurse
ries is situated Immediately in the vi
cinity of independence, where we stop
ped and dined, with the intention of go
ing to the vineyard, two and a quartz
miles distant, in the afternoon. But tn
rain poured down the entire evening
and We were disappointed. While her
, I drank some genuine Chinese tea grow
by MI. Manard, pere. 1t was decided
good, and free from that bitter tast
(which bought tea often has and While
sugar can scarcely overcome withoU
making it too sweet.
: MI. r. D. Manard showed me an az
count of sale of three crates of grapesl
had shipped the day previous. Fac
crate contains twenty-four little bOxt
! estimated to contain one pound eacI
The three crates sold for $14 4O-twent
l cents per pound. Each crate and. box
t cost about thirty-six cents; freight G
f the three crates shipped, one dOlla,
D commissions for selling, ten per cen
y Sometimes the grapes sell for ten cen
s per. pound and even lower, and som
: times they bring twenty-five to fiji
T cents-according to the season, and tt
supply and demand.
At this place they have a "Grange
f which is a secret association of farmer
and originated in the Western State
1t is intended to organize them all Oy
e the State, and the United States. T.
object is to advance the interests
farmers or agriculturists of the cOuntl
II To do this successfully politics willha
is to be entered into, in order to secure a
propriate legislation. This "Grang
t. is to have a picnic near Independen
1t Tin the parish of Tangipahoa) the latt
y part of this month, which | have be
IT honored with an invitation to after
r Parting from my kind friends I L
e., independence the same evening and
rived here Saturday afternoon, in st
hilly country" where u CreOles W
n can navigate our broadcast prairies ev
es in the night time, would get continue
lost, without q guide, among the hi
and interminable hills. The land
III productive until, from cultivation,
ed soil washes away; but it is the b
timbered, both in size and quality
ng white oak, red oak and poplar esl
III eially-I ever saw. F.
saw nothing worthy Of note on
~ route, except n little thing, VIII
~ was really something neW under
SUM- to me. Near the railroad il
p, small plain house built Of planks wit
dirt or mud chimney to it. One of
posts Of the framework of the chiml
- is a willow pole. It has apparently b
built several years, and the smoke
w many a cord of wood has eyider
g" passed through its b1ackened throat
~ the open air above. The house sta
81 high and dry neal the track, in a Gle
~ ing with no shade tree in reach +;
this willow pole in the chimney, he
through with holes at right ang