St. Landry democrat., 1879-08-09
Crops isa Louisiana.
New Orleans itcuincr;i.

which existed part OF May and was
partially broken by Il slight rainfall
toward the end of June, continued with
more or less severity for three weeks in
July. About the twentieth Of the month
it was. however, broken, and the plan
ters OF the State have been benefited
by an abundance OF rain. This, how
ever, came too late to save some OF the
crops, though it has already shown its
good eifcts Oh others.
The cotton crop throughout the State
was beginning to suffer evil effects from
the drOuth towards the end Of July.
The weather in the beginning of tie
month WAS favorable for the finishing
of the work OF cultivation Oh the late
cotton. From the information received
it seems that the work OF cultivation
was done better and the fields put i'll
finer order this season than has been
the case tOF many years. In local cases
Il scarcity OF labor WAS complained OF,
though grHcrlliY there WAS Il SU:iicicncy
OF labor to cultivate the crop, while he
work performed WAS considered more
than usually satisfactory. he size Of
the plant throughout the State, accOru-
ing to lHfurmantS from every section,
was, up to the middle OF the past month,
nearly NIP to the average, though iii
different localities it was dWHfrd and
stuntcd by protlact@d dry weather. Ihr
general condition was considered fully
up to q good average, ANA It tar yield
and full crop expected till about the
middle OF the past month. The appear
ance Of the cotton worm i'll Il few iS0-
lated fields i'll dittclcnt portions of the
State about the first of July awakened
serious apprehension among the planters
lhS 1, Il
be lost by the rayages Of these dreaded
pests of the cotton fields. In many
other places where they were not seen
ut the time Of their first appearance in
the State they were noticed about the
middle Of July. The third generation
Of this insect is that which is Particular
iy dreaded by the planters as being
destructive to the fields. The second
generation OF the cotton worm, going
through the metamnrphoSis of cIlrvSal
lis, moth, egg and full lgroWn caterpil-
lar, appears three weeks after the first
is seen, and the third generation six
weeks. According TO this calculation
the latter part Of August would be the
time for the full development OF the
insect rilVagcS, il no steps are taken to
destroy them, should rainy and humid
weather continue. The injury they are
likely to do the crop c;lilnot b" calcuIa-
ted. 1t is TO be hoped that they may
be destroyed before they have an OPP
portunity to accomplish much OF their
destructive work in the cotton fields.
Had the worms not appeared i'll the
cotton region it is safe to say that the
crop OF the State would have been con-
siderably larger than it was last year.
They have appeared, and no safe esti-
IN nottl nF thp WELD f.,l hp made
The sugar crop has ADVANCED in
growth and general condition very
rapidly during the latter half of July
The cultivation of the crop was gen
orally finished during the first half the
month. The dry weather then pre-
yailing, while not so favorable FOR
growth, was extremely favorable for
the finishing work on the crop and
destroying the grass in the cane fields.
IL most desirable object. Tie fields
generally are in an unusually clean
condition, and there is nothing but cane
on the land to monopolize the nutrimcnt
of the soil. Thus, with the present
rainy season, the cane in nearly all the
sugar region has grown vigorously and
advanced to Il condition in size above
the average Of fields usually at this
time of the year, though two months
ago i'll size it was considerably behind
the season. The crop is still, however,
considered inferior to that of last year
at II corresponding date, though in a
few locallties it is fully up to it i'll every
respect. The crop OF last year yielded
about two hundred and fifty million
pounds Of sugar. The highest esti-
mates on the present crop fall twenty
five million pounds, and the lowest
fifty million pounds below this. The
greatest factor now in the calculation
of probable yield will be the time of
the arrival Of the fall or winter freezes.
With such d season for harvesting as
1876 the State will certainly make a
splendid sugar crop or, with such Il
rolling season as 1918, it might make
II very ordinary one. The only safe
time to calculate the yield Of q sugar
crop in this State is when the cane is
all ground and "the returns are all in.n
For instance, d variation Of five degrees
OF Il Fahrenheit thermometer about the
middle Of November might indicate u
loss to Louisiana of fifty million pounds
OF sugar: The risks of the harvesting
are taken into consideration by our plan
ters, and their work done accodingly.
A very large amount OF new, improved
machinery Is In process of manufacture
and erection in the State. A much lar
ger proportion OF the higher grades of
sugar will be manufactured than has
been heretofore made, and the profits
ofentefprIsing planters will be increased
accordingly.
The rice crop has gained little over its
relative position two months and one
month ago. The most sansuine esti-
mates place the yield Of the State at
about One-half CROP In local Install
ces, where an ample supply of water has
been obtained by irrigating machinery
OF proper capacity, full and even fine
crops will he made. In the parish OF
lbervllle a planter has raised water over
twenty feet from the surface of the river
to flood his fields. This work was done
properly, and he has made a fine crop by
using comparatively powerful machi-
merry. Many other large planters
throughout the rice region have saved
and made full crops by using similar
steam machinery.
Others, with machinery OF an inferior
and insufficient to do the full
work needed, have saved the greater
portion of their crops. But the majority
of the small planters and farmers have
lost heavily. Some have lost all and
been ruined. The present rainy season
has been very acceptable to planters who
have saved any Of their crops. The rain
was greatly needed for filling the grain
on the fields that have not been aban-
doned, WITHOUT it not egen hall q crop
would have been made. Harvesting
rTc,k will be commenced in different
portions of the rice district during the
first week in August. A very few plan
ters commenced cutting during the last
week in july.
The corn crop north Of Red river has,
unfortunately turned out very badly.
1t has been roughly estimated that i'll all
the nothern half Of the State not over
half d crop will be made. The dry