The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1882-08-30
LOUISIANA,

LOUISIANA.
ne" PRODUCTS, RESOURCES AND AT
FRACTIONS.
our friend James D. Lacey, of til,
hrm Of Robinson & Lacey, who ha
lately returned from Louisiana wber,
he has been for several months opera
ting 10 pine lands, furnishes Us the fol
lowing account, which will no doub
he read with interest by orr readers
az ont little, comparatively, is known
ot that State, especially at the North
MIR. Lacey says the impression that ha,
gone out that Louisiana is a low fla,
country is entirely erroneous that the
low nat lands bordering the Mississip,
p'' the gulf and bayous, seen by the
stranger travelling by steamboat, con.
stitute less than one sixth of her area
only about one-ninth is subject to
overflow by the annual rise of the riy.
er, while portions of the State reach an
altitude of five hundred feet above the
sea level.
There is comparatively little barren
laDds IN the State, most Of it is suscep-
tlble of cultivation, and some portions
are unsurpassed in fertility. Fields
cultivated for one hundred years with.
out manure are still fertile. Seventy
i've bushels of rice per acre has been
raised. The principal crops of the
State are rice, cotton, sugar, tobacco,
corn, oats, peas and potatoes. The
frnits which flourish are the orange,
citron, lemon, shoddock, mespilus, ap-
pie, pear, peach, plum, grape, straw
perry ana numerous other small fruits
and berries. All these, including veg
etabies and melons, mature so early as
to bring extra prices in the Northern
markets, where they are shipped by
railroad.
The climate is never too hot or too
cold for field work. Sunstroke is al
most unknown, and leo an inch thick
is seldom seen and notwithstanding
the length of the Summer the heat is
much less oppressive than In the
Northern States. Fevers aud agne,
catarrh and other diseases prevalent
in Michigan are also almost unknown,
except along the alluvial bottoms.-
The Inhabitants are healthy and pro.
life, from eight to twelve children in
one family, being about the average,
lat least Jimmy says SO, and wo never
knew him to lie, ualess this is ono
In the western portion OF the State
there is large amount of pra rie, af-
fording range for immense herds of
cattle, sheep and horses. In the pine
and hard timbered lands, also large
herds are raised and fatteued in prime
condition for market.
Two crops per year of corn, sorgum,
rice and jute, and three cuttings of to-
bacco, also two crops of hay and grass.
And Mr.. Lacey tells of one man he
knew who took off four crops from the
same land, viz: ats, corn, and two
crops of peas. 1t is considered neces.
sary to feed stock at any tune, except
horses and mnles when at work, tie
Summer range of wild grasses being
sufficient. When Winter comes on,
horses, mules, cattle, sheep aud hogs,
find living in the woods and cane
brakes without shelter, 9and grown an.
imals come out in February fat and
sleek.
All the products of the State find a
ready market at the nearest village,
whence they are or or may be shipped
by rail or water to every part of the
world. Two new railroads are being
pushed through the interior of the
State, which will result in rapidly de-
veloping its resources. There are
six million acres of United
States lands in the State subject to
entry under tile Homestead aud Tim
Der culture acts. Land can he bought
in nearly every Parish in the State
the price for nnimproved lands varies
from twenty live cents to ten dollars
per acre improved lands sell from two
to fifty dollars per acre, according to
location and improvements. Bargains
in lands are offered all over the State.
Many Of the sugar and cotton planta-
lions have been sold for less than one
fourth the cost of the improvements
This shYinkage in value is due to the
scarcity of labor, as the lands are just
rs good as ever.
The people are generous and hospi-
table, and welcome new corners. They
say they are becoming "Yankeeized,"
md labor is no longer looked upon az
it's dignity is recognized
and admitted by all. Great pains is
saken by the State to encourage immi.
grafton, and all needful information is
furnished by the Bureau of Agriculture
md Immigration aud it is claimed
hat Louisiana furnishes the following
advantages to agriculturists over the |
praises of the Northern aud Western |
States, viz The farmer can work eve
Y day in the year. In the West he
IAN work only six mouths of the year. |
It is neither so cold in Winter, nor so
Tot in Summer. The season is so long
he meadows cen be cut four times a |
rear. The climate is so mild that it
Toes not require half the expenditure
or clothing and houses as in the West.
stock requires no shelter and will
hrive on wild range and natural grass
IS, giving greater and more regular in
rease than in colder climates. Vege-
ables are in season every month in
he year. The prairie is not subject
o "Nortbers in Winter, drought in
summer, nor to the devastation Of
,rasshoppers, potato bugs or chinch
Jugs. There is ample forest growth
ear at land for building fencing and
irewood, and frequent nsvigable
treams competing with the railroads
nd keeping down the cost of trans
Ortation of produce to the markets.
The class of people most needed are
armers. Men who will buy land and
ultivate it, laboriug men and women
7ho will work for monthly wages, me-
hanics of nearly axaru trado n,an |