The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1877-11-10
Natchitoches Parish.

SPACE did not permit "S W S''0 ''-
of Natchitoches parish in our
last issue, and we extract from the pam $
INLET referred to then, al epitome OF the
uroluctious and social and general condl-
tion Of Natchitochcs. We may add that
molasses and sugar have been of late
years attracting attention, and our Hill
farmers particularly, are now producing
their own sugar and molaS>rs, as we'll as
large quantities of "hiyh land rice' which
grows luxuriantIy and yields abundant
ly.
"lrn,]pr the usual and ordinary system
of cultivation, the alluvial lands yield i'll
rnol seasons one bale Of cotton t" the
Acre. and about As bushels Of corn: the
up]ndS from to of a bale, and about
20 hnshrls Of corn to the acre. Corn be-
mo- hitherto raised only to supply the do
nestle requirements, this yield is by no
means a fair indication of the capacity OF
the soil on either description of land. II
it were made an object t" produce" tins
Grain either for expectation and sale or
for stock feeding. The same careful
mode of cultivation Of our lands which
c|,orartcrizrs thos, Of the Northwest
wnu]] ,]oubtlcss result in a yield which
would compare favorahly with that OF the
section referred to, and if raised in guam
titles iustifyiny expectation to New ORR
cans and other Southern cities would en-
able our ayriculturiStS to compel" with
success with those of the Northwest. NO
country affords a better range tor STOCK
of every description than this, and the
vast forests, with their production OF
mast of regular annual recurrence, afford
the chranrst s,lstrnaucc for hogs, which
would render cmbarkation in the pork
trade vastly profitable, as thus, there
would be required but comparatively 1T
tie corn to all the mast III the + ttrninG
of this stock. In the winter there are
sufficiently protrartrd seasons OF COZ"
weather for the killing and curing season
of hogs, to ensure the safety OF this bust
ness. and the home market of the SOUTH
west would furnish consumers for all that
could be put up. The indigo nous glasses
; of this section and the plotractrd seasons
+ during which they are available, renter
stock raising profitable and easy and,
with much less attention than is bestow-
s ed in more Northern sections, the bust
ness of cattle and sheep raising can be
prosecuted t, very great advantage. IN
: fine same latitude with tho great cattle
region ofTcxas, and with natural pa>tu-
rage which may be immensely improved
. by the Introduction of grasses from other
e sections. the Inducements presented by
y this locality are of the most inviting
character. Experience, although on {;
J, limited scale. has convinced us that the
- best grasses of the Middle and Western
States can he successfully cultivated
y here. Wheat, rye, oats, barley and m'l
" let flourish with fair cultivation, and al
= though hitherto raised in small! quaint
j ties, mast experience stiles the assertion
}, THAT they can be protitably cultivated
IS During the late war, when commnnlc'
ton with the great grain growing see
{ lions, on which we always rrllrd' was CT!
l. off, nearly all the wheat consumed III TN
> locality was raised here, and without an,
~ improved machinery, but with tenporar,
makeshiits converted into -four. MA!
far beyond the wants Of our own conl'nu
nitv. can be readily saved, and will a.
J. ways find a good market. The low land
. bordering ..he swanps are susceptible 4
y the easy cultivation of rice; indeed, al
'c most all the grains raised III other POI
II tons of the Union. can be produced here
~ and with proper attention, the pasturaG
~ c,nnot hc rxcr|irl anywhere.
"a The culture of tobacco has been succc'
II fully tested. and almost every drscrlptlo
of thu weed tlnuriSllts with such guilty;
l. ton and attention as are ordinarily b'
re stovcd in other localities where it Is Pre-
!, duced more extensively than here 1!
u fertility of the soil and the character
n the climate are admirably suited to tn
cc weed. and in past years the reputation
the NatchitochcS tobacco, converted mi
ne snuff, has been un:ivalltd. This parti
he Mar brand of tobacco manufactured int
~ snuff. has an European reputation, al
= in almost every city in Europe is know
n and sought after. Although tobacco
a. not extensively cultivated III this Paris
scarcely aplantation can be seen on wh''
it is not raised with considerable lux"l
ance by the proprictors and hands t
their own uses.
,rs Thus we have shown tho adaptable
NO of the soil of the Parish for the guilty
' ton of nearly all the necessary, and
10 the same time most profitable products
he agriculture, in addition to the recommt
=, dations which We have detailed as rcga
- pasturagr, cattle raising, lumber gett'l
2. &c, and we think We can, in behalf
80 our Parish, successfully challenge co
49, parison with any other section of Il
highly favored Union as to its natural ;
vantages, in all the respects named.
J., Social and General Condition.