St. Landry democrat., 1881-09-03
Prof: Hilgard on Louisiana.
IN. O. CITY Item,1

IN. o. City Item
Prof. Eugene w. Hilgard of the Uni
yersity of California and Special Cen
sus Agent, prepared for the Hon: f. A.
Walker, superintendent OF the Tenth
Census, a tabular presentation OF re-
suits OF the census enumeration OF this
State, so far as the production of cotton
is concerned; also a report OF the
physico- Typographical and agricultural
features Of the State. This the pro-
lessor states, is intended not alone
for the statistician and student OF poll
tical economy, but for the information
of the general ppblic, and, more espe-
cially, for that of intending settlers
and immigrants"
In preparing this work Prof. Hilgard
availed himself not only OF the census
statistics, but also OF the results OF an
investigation made by himself, under
the auspices OF the Smithsonian lnstl-
tuition in 1877, Of the geology OF South
ern Louisiana, and especially OF the
rock salt deposit OF Petit Anse Island !;
and of another investigation conducted
in 1869 by himself, under the auspices
Of the New Orleans Academy Of
Sciences and Of the Louisiana State
W.
other recognized authorities.
This valuable and interesting work
has lust been published as an Extra
Census Bulletin, and for copy we are
indebted to the superintendent OF the
census. He states that the part OF the
Complete Report on Cotton Culture
which relates to Louisiana was first
completed and was sent to press, first,
for the earlier information of the people
Of the State concerned, and secondly,
to assist the special agents charged
with reporting upon other cotton States,
and with view to securing uniformity
in the reports to be rendered in this de-
partment."
The tables presented, not only as re,
CARDS cotton, but the other agricultural
products of the State will be studied as
q careful and elaborate result OF stats
tical tabulation. They are Of course
interesting. But the average reader
will find more to interest him in study.
| ing what is said concerning the general
features of the Mississippi bottom and
of the delta plain which stretches from
the high lands to the Gulf.
The professor cOrrects the popular
impression which prevails elsewhere
to thes effect that Louisiana is wholly
alluviaa, for he shows that over one
half OF the State is composed OF up
lands of varying character. Even q
considerable portion of the flood plains
he says, are not properly alluvial, the
soils being directly derived from de-
posits formed at time considerably
anterior to the existence of the present
river channels. Such is the case will
what is generally known as the. "bnck,
shot" soils, which belong to a family Of
clays that underlie the entire plair
from the Gulf, as high up as Memphis
and Shreveport, at depths varying from
one to forty feet. :,
/ The total area of this State is general
" set down as Al 400 square miles; bu
according to careful map measurement
these figures are considered incorrect
| Prof. Hilgard makes the area 45,42(
square miles, exclusive OF fresh watel
lakes, land locked bays and Of Lakes
Pontchartrain and Maurepas.. From
the coast marshes, lying at the higf
water level, the surface OF the delts
rises to about fifteen feet at the latitude
of New Orleans and to thirty four fee
at Baton Rouge, which is at the head O.
the delta proper.
But we cannot undertake to Civ.
even an abstract of so extensive an(
valuable work. Our purpose is gainet
if we call such attention to it as vii
make it sought for by students gene
rally,