The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1881-09-02
COTTON PRODUCTION IN LOUISIANA.


State of Louisiana with !. discussion OF
the general agricultural features of the
State, prepared by Eugene w. lIHyard
professor OF agriculture in tho Uniyer-
sity OF California and special census
agent. This work contains a great
deal Of valuable information regarding
the production Of the great staple in our
state. From q statement by Superin-
teildant Walker we learn that this is
intended to form 4 part of the COM
plete report Of the cotton culture of
the United States to be issued this fall.
This part regarding Louisiana was the
first completed and has been issued in
a separate edition.
The work before us contains not only
tho tabulated statements usually to be
found in the Government Reports of
such a character, but other and varied
matter OF Information which will ren-
der it interesting to those seeking ill.,
formation as to the relative value and
attactivcness of the different soils and
sections of Louisiana. Regarding the
State at large we select tho following
items of interest: Area planted in
cotton, sGi,7s7 acres total number
of bales (475 pounds), 5Os,5G9; bales
per acre, O.59; seed cotton, pounds per
acre, s37 lint per acre, 279 pounds.
OF other items tho following: Total
population of the State, 99,9iG; white
i54 1854 colored 4s4, 492 acres of titled
land 2,507 1885. The State is divided
| into seven regions or districts-alluvial
region, north of Red river and south of
| Red river, tide-water parishes, bluff
| region, Attakapas region, long-leaf
pine region and oak uplands.
We publish in full the special report
as to the parish of Ouaclita:
POPULATION: 4,Gs5.-White, 4, SOP;
colored, TO-, 1873.
AREA GAO square milcs.-Wood-
land, all. Alluvial land, $40 square
miles long-leaf pine hills, 100 square
| miles oak uplands, 40 square miles,
TITLED LAND: ASST acres.-Arca
planted in cotton, %, 04O acres in corn,
1913 acres; in sweet potatoes, $40
acres +; in sugar-cane, sc acres.
COTTON PRoDuCTIoN: 1929 bales
average cotton product per acre, O,G4
bale, 9ls pounds seed.cotton, or SOC
pounds cotton lint:
Ouachita parish, nearly equally
divided between upland on the west
| and lowland on tho east, has long lea f
pine hills of the usual character in its;
| southwestern portion the lower slopes
OF the ridges bearing an oak growth,
while the cfests are sandy and covered
With tong-feaf pine, the latter gradually
! disappearing as tho bayou Castor is
approached
The northwestern portion has hiffy
| oak-uplands with admixture of short
leaf pine, as in the adjoining pant of
Union parish. Among the oak and
hickory timber OF these uplands, the
farge-ieaved magnolia (1kug'eoliu ma
| cT0l'hyfto) is noteworthy, being rare
! elsewhere in the State. 1t usually
denotes soil rich in lime, and there
! fore thrifty. In the lowland swamps
the genuine tupelo (N:yssu au,iRo,1e)
| forms a prominent (and, in Louisiana,
! somewhat Unusually feature.
Between tho long-leaf pine hills and
the oak uplands west of Monroe, there
lies an extensive cypress brake, know
as Chenierc au Tondre, embracing
about seven square miles. Numerous
bayous cmptying into this brake over
flow much land, and render it difficult
| to reclaim.
The area lying east Of the Washita
river is wholly alluvial, except only a
narrow upland ridge, with oaks and
short-1eaf pine, between tho river and
bayou Lafourche. Much Of the aliuvial
land is above any overflow experienced
so far. This is especially the case with
"the Island," lying between the
Washita river and bayou DcSiard,
which in considered the garden spot of
the region, producing both corn and
cotton i'll great perfection.
On the Washita river, near Monroe,
the prevalent timber growth is water
oak, sycamore, honey locust, and black
locust, indicating 4 soil containing
| much lime.
The river and navigabIe bayous
| render the alluvial country very easy
OF access, and afford great facilities for
| transportation of produce.
UNITED STATES SIGNAL SERVICE.