The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1881-05-11

The orthodox Sugar Planter and
Cotton Planter in Louisiana in the |
olden time scorned to make money
from any other product than the one
staple, the name Of which proclaimed
his occupation and gave dignity and
responsibility TO his calling.
Sugar Planter and Cotton Planter
sound well-much better than Gu,
eumber Planter or Potato Planter or
Cabbage Or Onion Planter Yet
there are many Inconvenience at
teDdaDt upon the planter of the sin
gle staple, which are avoided when
thS main crop is supplemented with
one or more of the smaller crops.
The Sugar and Cotton Planter have
bus one harvest year. Not a dol
lar can they raise, except through
Sheir commission merchants, to
whom their crops are pledged before
they have turned furrow. The
experimenting the main crop with
one or more summer crops lessons
The risk and increases the profit, be-
sides bringing in supply of ready
cash to the farmer in the middle of
the year. There are cheering signs
all along the river front, up to the
mouth Of Red River. The patches
of early cucumbers, melons, pota-
toes, cabbage, onions, red oats, jute
and rice indicate that the postbellum
farmer is disturbing the equanimity
of the antcbellum planter. The
stubble of the latter hangs FIRE and
his cotton is 'possum-eared and sore.
Skinned, but the struck" is booming.
A number of sugar planters are
planting corn and cotton 10 their
cane stubble, while others are plant
ing orange and other improved vari-
cites of sorghum in land left vacant
by reason of the partial failure Of
seed cane. We are informed by one
OF the best sugar planters in the
State that there is no doubt what
ever that sorghum cane will make
good sugar in vacuum pans!
We have never known Mr.. Eugene
Oubre, Of New Texas Landing, to
fail in cabbage and onions, all OF
which find ready sale at home, while
Major Roundtree's cucumbers, we
are glad to say, find a remuneratve
market in The West. Mr.. Robert
Montgomery's dairy furnishes our
river steamers with milk, upon
which the flavor Of the clover bios
som fingers, and we are credibly in.
formed that twenty i've hundred
barrels Of Irish potatoes were sold
for seed in the town Of Bayou Sara
this Spring. Here may be seen the
siik-worms Of Mr.. Crozier spinning
the fairy web for fashions fabrics,
and all along the coast hum the bees
from thousands of frame hives. All |
these things indicate progress and
determination on the part of our
people to secure the full measure Of
good to be derived from our gener
Gus soil and climate.
We have never before seen fuer
outlook for the farmer than that Of
fered by the Irish potatoes growing
upon the ligh. sandy river front for
many miles above and below Bayou
Sara.
The staple crops are backward,
but the perfect stand and luxurian,
growth of the potatoes afford CRATE.
full contrast, and promise remunera
hive retuus to the fortunate owners.
To obtain the best results from
succession Of crops the potato field
should be planted in COW peas as
soon az the potatoes are dug-the
vines will cover The ground aud put
it in perfect condition for second
crop of fall potatoes. The pea vines
should be cut in August, and the
second crop of potatoes planted im
medlately. The second crop of DO
tatoes should be dug by the first
frost, and the ground is then ready
for crop of red oats, rescue or vel
vet grass for winter pasture. Some
time since we published an article
showing the value of Southern Sec
ond crop potatoes for seed. We
would again remind oar readers that
they are uIich csleenca rs seed DO
'at"es in the West, anil sold this
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