The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-09-23
STORM NOTES.
THE Damage inflicted on The Rite and
zane crops of the Lever Coast.


with view TO ascertain. II possible. the extent |
OF the damage inflicted on the cane. rice and
sugar crops, In the rich agricultural region below
the city, and to learn OF other incidental evil ef-
fects Of the blow, your representative left here
on the steamer Martha, on Thursday morning,
and preceded nearly half way TO the mouth Of the
river. He requested Capt. Basset end Mr.. Bar
rois. Of the Martha. 10 obtain information at the
numerous landings along the river coast from
Pointe- ella. Hache TO Port lads. From The gen
tletnen designated he learned that there was no
apparent injury suffered ct Port Eads.
The delta strip on whose end the town is
built was not ovsia WED deeper than haH fire..
quently occurred at extra high tides while ID
that locality The wind was not 80 heavy az IL was
high up The cpast. In the low strip of eoun-
try between The forts and the head Of the passes
where The only settlements are few ietty
company buildings at the Jump and nambat Of
dshernen's and hnnters hutsl tide water swept
over The river baths without inflieing any notable
injury. No casualties had been heard Of Among
the fishermen who resort 10 the bays In that part
81 the ceuntry, az they, having had ample warn
ing Of bhe gale, had got safely inside before II
comms,ce1 10 blow.
II the regisn above ths forts, from Buras sell
Element TO Tropical bend. the water had risen In
the back part OF the rice fields, but was imme-
diately blown of by the heavy north wind Of
Wednesday large snsount Of uncut tice was
whipped Off the stalk by the force Of the Wind
which viii reduce the crop Of that section, and
large quantity Of oranges were blown down,
which fallen fruit will be marketable IL gathered
ia time. In The southeast gale Of Monday night
| and Tuesday gulf water was blown into the back
fields Of Grand Prairie and Pointe n Ia I'll ache.
where = considerable pstt 6f The rice crop hsd
already been harvested. That part which re-
| manned In the fields suffered severely frem being
blown down and having its heads whipped off,
| but, "a the water recedsd immedia ELY after the
chasgs Of wind, the destruction by rot will not
be 90 great. The orange groves oil along the
| coest Lost mitch Of their Fruit.
| The rice region below the city produced $4,000
barrels Of clean rice, OF something over fab, 900
Of rough rice last year. The acreage has been
lsrgely reduaed this year, and the yield will be
considerably out down in the msaner noted. by
| the storm.
The cane WAS generally Of fair size IN The ST.
ear district below. which extends in solid area
nearly City miles down the coast. All cane that
| was not Hnsually smell was blown fat. which was
the best condition in which II coHld have been tc
have received the terrible blast which blew from,
the north at midnight Tuesday. The leaves and
tops Of the smah cane which was standing In
this gust, were literally torn 10 shreds. The large
cane will rise Immediately, continue lie growth
and ripen as rapidly az If 1t had beer standing.
The planters will suffer some inconvenience
from cutting, hauling and grinding crooked cane
but the yield will mt be decreased, II we m
Judge from the preeedents Of many years Some
| Of our most experienced planters consider thai
cane is benefited by being blown down At this
time Though not earlierl, az the stalks, which
| would otherwise be shaded by the luxt,rant tops.
ere for time exposed TO the sun, winds and cold
dews, aud ripen much more rapidly than they do
wlsn sheltered and shaded by The foliage. Were
cane uprooted when blown over, a. are other
plants, then the injury might be great. but it ia
never. and draws the soil the same az II stand
Ing erect.
Az in vast majority OF casea the notably
heavy yields gf sugar are made in our State
from zane that has fallen over or been blown
down In september or October, il seems reasen.
able TO suppose that the yield Of the cane below
the city, or anywhere Ia the sugar district. will
net be decreased this year by the storm. The
| small standing cane whose leaves and tops we're
no badly torn and shattered only fit for eeed,
| and such will net be injured, as the eyes are
not Affected and II will be put up for seed before
| these ewes can aprout and grow enough to de-
| aeroy them for planting purposes.