The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-06-16
OUR GARDEN PARISHES.
EAST BATON ROUGE.
sts photography, soils, Forests, an
various Resources.

MS My0F0EFahnys sOlIss FDrsstbs anu
various Resources.
WARDS CREEK.
Several creeks, gulles and raynes In the
north and centre of township south, range
1 east, combine to form Wards creek, few
miles east of Baton Rouge.
The waters that feed it are partly spring
water and partly the drain of the surround
ing table land. From the middle OF the above
township, Wards creek runs slowly in a
southeasterly course, crossing the connecting
section lines OF townships and 8 south,
ranges and q east, and thence continues In
the same direction until 1t empties In the
Manchac or Iberville river, in the medal
width Of township south, range east.
FOUNTAIN BAYOU.
This bayou forms itself in township south,
range west, mile and half to the south
OF Baton Rouge city, and running In south
easterly course parallel with Wards creek
and flows into the Manchac In the southwest
ern quarter of township south, range Q east
Fountain bayou liz mainly fed by the drain
OF the highlands, to which it forms q contin-
nous belt on their final western slopes, and its
waters are quite muddy as @ rule.
WARD AND FOUNTAIN BAsIN-CLAss -FOUR.
An eastern boundary line drawn from
Montesino bayou, above Baton Rouge city,
and eurving towards the south when 1t meets
Jones' creek, then, as it reaches the intersect-
ing lines OF townships south, ranges and Q
east, and Of township 8 of same ranges, fol-
lowing the left bank Of Wards creek as far
south as Manchac bayou, marks the eastern
lfmito this basin. Its western boundary is
clearly marked by the course of Fountain
bayou.
From the western bank of Wards creek to
the eastern Of Fountain bayou the bluff table
lands assume their most graceful contours
and fluctuations, forming, with their spots of
verdure, o landscape garden of exquisite de-
sign and adjournment
SOILS.
All that section or strip Of this basin lying
east of Wards creek Is more uniformly level
than the rest although 1t is of the bluff class
of lands. Here the soil iS quite dark. being
in texture black loan, with few lighter
patches of sandy loan, Its average weight
per cubic foot Of dried matter being eighty
pounds.
The soil of the rest Of the basin is a reddish
on dark yellow sandy loan of the same spe-
,cific weight, while the strip skirted by Foun-
tain bayou and lining the brink of the high
lands Is q mixture of peaty alluvial and sandy
loan soils.
FORESTS.
This basin is densely timbered the sweet
gum predomnating largely, although the
growth includes an extraordinary variety
The nomenclature would embrace, perhaps,
some 100 species that grow In the various
parts OF the parish, but the main and charac
feriste growth consists in sweet gum,
beeches, magnolias, poplar, elm, oaks, iron
wood, ash, hickories, walnut and saSsafraS.
THE MANCHAC.
This stream, also known as the Iberville
river and formerly connecting the MISSISSIPPI
pi with the Amite, is the southern boundary
OF East Baton Rouge parish. Its aperture
on the left bank of the Mississippi, in the
southern part of township south, range
east was damned many years ago and has
ever since remained closed.
From its origin on the Mississippi the Man
chac runs directly to the east until 1t receives
Fountain bayou, when it makes an elbow to-
wards the north, turns east again to receive
shortly afterwards the waters Of Wards
creek and thence, in an elliptic curve leaning
north, IL resumes its easterly course towards
the Amite, with which it joins in the middle
of township 8 south, range east.
Its supply OF water is derived from the drain
of its left bank, from the Fountain bayou,
Wards creek and, finally, from the Amite
MANoHAo SUBSIDIARY BAsIN-CLAss FIVE.
The basin which this stream drains in
cludes the southernmost part of the alluvial
tract lying west Of the highlands and desig-
mated already as the Mississippi basin, and
besides the lowlands that skirt its left bank.
AS the connection of this basin with that of
the Mississippi is uninterrupted, and the fea-
lures of both Identical, 1t is designated as a
subsidiary division to the former
SOILS AND FORESTS
The soils and forests Of this subsidiary
basin are in every respect similar to those Of
the Mississippi basin, and need therefore no
separate description.
pAToN ROTrGF BkY0u
Baton Rouge bayou is formed by the join
ing together of network OF small gulleys
and rayines in township south, range west,
and beginning in the northernmost part of the
parish. As the main stream reaches the mid
die OF the next township south 1t drops from
the high bluff lands into the alluvlal basin
of the Mississippi, where 1t widens and
sive flakes, and reaches the Mississippi In q
due south course in the middle of township
south, range l west, where the mighty
river forms strong bend.
This basin includes all the highlands lying
west OF the Comite and extending towards
the Mississippi in townships T. s and south,
range west.
The bayou is periodically swollen by the
rising of the Mississippi river, and drains all
the northern part of this basin and that sec
tion living on its left bank, thus giving its
name to the basin although the highlands in
the northern part and west Of it find their
drain in the adjoining alluvial pottom.
SOILS AND FORESTS.
The soil In this basin is the yellow siltof the
strict bluff lands. From this classification,
however must be excepted Buffers Plains
those tracts Of white calcart Gus sou already