The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1877-03-17
CATTLE RAISING in Louisiana.


Cattle raising is almost one Of the lost
arts or abandoned occupations ID Louis
lana. Thirty or forty years ago, iour-fiihs
Of the beef consumed in New Orleans and
along the Mississippi as far up as Vicks-
burg came from the Louisiana prairies.
To-day, not one-tenth Of the beef slaugh-
tered ut the abbatoirs in New Orleans is
raised in Louisiana The vast increase
and accumulation ofeattle in Texas during
the four years Of war, owing to the want
Of market, gave Texas great advantages
in controlling the Beef supply. The havoc
made in the herds Of Western Louisiana
BY the demands Of many armies and the
depredations Of jayhawkers, greatly de-
pleted the vaeheEies and lessened the stock
Of breeding cattle. Much lawlessness pre-
vailed in Southwest Louisiana for several
years after the war, and vigilant commit
tees were organized to suppress cattle
thieying in summary way. The remedy
was as bad as the disorder, aud the bust
ness Of stock growing did not prosper until
tho present time. The stock raiser Of
these prairies have rallied slowly, but from
all accounts they are now, for the first time
in many years, in a condition to compete
with the Texans. This portion &C Louis
lana is one Of the choicest spots on the
American continent, but it is almost iso-
lated, and is us yet but little known 10 the
great word Ii will soon be penetrated
BY railroads at several points, when the
rush of immigration will pour into it.
The prairie extends in the shape of a
triangle from Alexandria, on Red River,
as the apex, by one side to the mouth of
the Sabine, and by the other to the mouth
Of Teche, with the third side extending
along the Gulf. The prairie proper con-
tains nearly 100000 acres, crossed with
numerous wooded streams in every direc-
ton, while the sea marsh, which is equally
as good for cattle raising as the high prGi-
RE, contains 1000, 900 more acres. This
triangular tract is enclosed on Two sides by
the largest and densest forests on the con-
tinent, and is open broadly on the third to
the soft air Of the Gulf The climate is
mild in winter, cool in summer, and the
whole region is better protected against
cold and violent changes of weather than
any other region of the Union. 1t is this
which makes it unapprOachable as a cattle
country. The orange fourishes farther
up in this prairie than in any portion Of
the country East of the Rocky Mountains,
which indicates the temperature. 1t is
gratifying to know that the stock of cattle
is not only increasing in this prairie re-
gion, but that nearly every portion of Lou
isiana is filling up with an improved breed
Of cattle, graded on the old stock. There
were but few cattle lost by the cold in
Louisiana, but thousands and tens of thou.
sands were frozen or died of starvation on
the great plains Of the West and all over
Texas. This is greatly in favor of the
Louisiana stock raiser, aud is large score
for the superiority of the climate. The
1900, 900 acres Of pine fats of Louisiana,
which lie near the Gulf, are as good as the
prairie for stock, if the frequent burnings
could be prevented, A large area of such
lands lies in the Florida parishes, and could
be rapidly put into grass and used for cat,
tie raising with great pro6t.--NeU Orleans
/ Times