The Opelousas courier., 1882-10-21
a. Fine Crop.

About month ago We took occasion
to say few words about the excellent
crop prospects OH the Camp Hamilton
plantation, one mile east of Opel0usas,
under the management Of Mr.. Arthur
dc Generes. On Tuesday evening last
our reporter, in company.wlth Capt. T..
Sumter Taylor and the courteous man
ager, rode over this model farm and
was delighted with the magnificent
prospect OF inxuriant cane, which spread
out in so many broad and well cult
waited acres before him. Without eXag-
geration we must say, that considering
the tout ensemble OF this plantation, we
found it the best organized, the most
methodical, and the best cultivated ole,
that we have ever visited in st, Landry.
Ii we are not mistaken this plantation
has been continuously in cultivation for
about forty years and is more or less
broken and hilly in it's surface. Mr.. dc
Generes has only been in charge of the
place for two years, and by his intelli-
gent system of breaking, cultivating,
and fertilizing the soil, he is rapidly
bringing it to it's virgin richness and
luxuriance Of growth. He informed our
reporter that he broke up his land with
four mule plows, breaking as deep as
the plows would go. And note the
fact that the mules were all large sized
American animals. By this process
u good quantity of clay was mixed with
the surface soil, besides giving plenty
Of depth for good tilth and better drain
age during subsequent cultivation. He
planted his plant cane where pea crop
had been the previous year, and applied
cotton seed meal to all of the stubble.
The entire crop was thoroughly and
promptly cultivated all through the
season, and to day, scarcely any grass
and 40 needs can be seen in the cane.
Mr.. de Generes has 225 acres in cane,
and for uniform excellence in growth
and promise of yield, it surpasses. any
thing we have seen in st. Landry. Al
ter reserving cane enough to plant $50
acres more next year, he expects to
make 275 or three hundred hogsheads
of sugar-proyided there is no misfor-
tune to the crop before the rolling sea-
son is over. Mr.. de Generes has about
| 5000 bushels of corn already housed,
besides one hundred and sixty large
cart loads of pea vine and crab grass
hay stacked and under shelter. Our
planters should go and look at the SIM
pie but excellent rake which he uses in
pulling tho pea vines and hay. 1t will
do the work of Il dozen men using say
| the blades He had $50 acres in peas
this year, and will put his plant cane
in it next year.
Another important feature about Mr..
de Generes' system Of planting is his
painstaking and perfect system of drain
age to all of his land. By his method
| there are no washes OH hill sides, nor
any standing water in fat places. We
call him il model OF a planter aud would
advise other planters to emulate his ex-
ample. If they make his acquaintance
| they will find him very pleasant and
atfable gentleman in his manners, mod
est in his pretensions, and making no
boasts over others in the success of his
admirable and intelligent system in
farming operations. He will commence
rolling on Monday next, with all of the
modern improvements to his machinery
to prevent waste, and to produce the
best grade of sugar and molasses.