The Louisiana Democrat., 1880-09-08

part the body of the soil. In pro-
ductiveness it is not surpassed by
any in the State, and is equally
adapted to the production of the
great staples, cotton and sugar.
2.-The uplands and creek bot
toms, on which the soil is generally
sandysloam, varying in depth,
quite productive, easy of cultivation,
and yielding oftentimes a bale of
cotton and forty bushels of corn per
acre.
3.-Tbe Pine lands, consisting of
thin soil with an under stratum of
clay, susceptible of being highly en-
riched by manuring, or by the appli-
cation Of the ordinary fertilizers.
The poorest of these lands, with very
imperfect tillage, produce fair crops,
and under a more enlightened sys-
tenn Of agriculture may be made to
support dense population.
TIMBER.
There is considerable variety
and a great abundance of timber.
IIn the bottoms are found variety
of the oak, cypress, ash, blackberry,
elm, gum, cottonwood, beech, willow
and many other kinds. On the hills,
upon both sides of Red River, the
yellow pine constitutes almost the
entire growth. In every locality
there is an abundance for fuel, and
for the other wants of the farm.
The saw mills in the Parish supply
the home demand for lumber, and
ship large quantities to points on
the Red and Mississippi rivers.
WATER.
! The Parish is we'll watered. Red
River is the principal stream flowing
through it; Little River touches its
Eastern border, and the intervening
territory is intersected by numerous
small streams. In the Western por-
ton the branches of the Calcasieu
River, and other streams which unite
with the bayous in the Red River
valley, penetrate every part. Water
, for stock is everywhere plentiful. In
, the upland regions fresh water
springs abound; excellent water may
also be obtained in wells from ten tt
: twenty FIVE feet in depth. On tht
river and bayous cisterns furnish
water for drinking and domestic
> purposes.
MINERALS.
= But little is known Of the mineral
of the Parish. Gypsum has beer
discovered near the Eastern line o
the Parish, and iron ore has beel
found in various localities. In th
Northwestern and Southwestern por
tions of the Parish, there are minera
springs highly impregnated wit
sulphur and other ingredients, an
possessing valuable medicinal proE
:, critics.
= The following table slows th
quantities under the several heat
" ings:-
u ACRl
ty Alluvial lands. s..................25 256 ,O'
ro Heavily timbered Pine lands. 1850 On
~ Creek bottom and hammocks. .233 ,O
a. Amount entered. d................ 52O,O
Il Amount vacant. 49,. $50, "
Cleared lands. .................l7 100
lg Wooded lands ....,..............6 -. 800
re Prairie lands Observation-Disclosures. 5.5
School lands. -. .................. 1879
% 1t will be seen from the above e
. - hibit that only one-fifth of the Ian
of the Parish have been cleared, a
" that considerably more than or
third are vacant. The alluvial Ian
range in value from five to TWEEN
y, dollars per acre, and uplands fri
~ one to Eve dollars, according to lo'
40 tion, character and quantities Gle
-, ed. Lands can be purchased in
- = most any portion of the Parish, a
80 in tracts containing twenty acres
wv less, to several thousand acres.
though landholders are not eager
~ -. sell, scarcity of labor, and, in me-
:. instances, lack of means to impr'
~ property, incline them to dispose
-, surplus lands. In such cases fay
- able terms can be made in purch
tho ing, payments running from one
80 three years. The best alluvial la
can be rented from three to five ,
~ lars per acre, and uplands for alb
: one dollar.
AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS.
The principal products are cot
49, sugar cane, tobacco, oats, rice, p
;e :, :, broom corn, sorghum, sweet
irish potatoes, besides great Va
ty of garden vegetables. II
crops are adapted to the soil and
lEee o+o ond ,.;old {, nronort;on IN