The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1883-08-11

ny cAPetS0 upCIiOt " tu0 1tupOIkeu NJ
ticle. There are vacant lands enough
in the state to supply the demands Of
the markets Of the world, if fully Ocou
pied by intelligent lahOrers. Oats grow
readily Throughout the state. and the
grasses arc varied aud luxnriant. The
.'JuhnsOn grass ia perennial in the
South. and will yield the enormous
amOun: Of two tons At each Of four cut
thugs ; 50 does Bermuda grass, u graes
which all stock eats with avidity, and
which takes hold readily "n the poorest
hiiltops and gniIies az Well as upon the
richest lands. Mr.. Edward Atkinson
thinks that hy a proper rotation If
crops. with sheep, Bermuda grass, cot
ton and co%ttou>eed meal. the wOrn-out
lands Ut the Older cotton states would
be entirely renovated, and would re-
veal u mine Of wealth Of which the
South
HAS HITHERTO NOT DREAMED.
At present Louisiana has little need Of
artificial pastnrage. Heretofore. the
great planters Of Louisiana have in
general devoted themselves to the pro
ductiOn IF her staples "f sugar. cotton
and rice. but the smaller ia have
allowed themselves q great diversity
Of production, aud raise all of their
home supplies except tea and coffee.
Under this system. the small farmer is
absolutely Independent. and it is even
the custom in The southwestern part
Of the state 10 spin. aud make
the clothing at home. The negroes
throughout the cotton belt have most
~ moved to the ~alluvial lands, where
they receive higher wages. leaving the
uplands to the intelligent white farmers,
who have already successfully demon
strated that c~Utton, sugar. rice aud to
bacc" can be grown by them in their
state without the constant druid gerry once
thought necessary to their production.
They find leisure Go beautify their
homes and surround them with com
forts. and even Injuries, while still
saving some money for u rainy day.
1t is frequently asked 'Can white
men labor under the summer SUI III
the southern states p The wer is
that they have labored and lcontinae 10
labor With great success in the north
ern states, where the heat is greater
and the days longer. aud it is difficult
to see why they should no. prove az
equal success in the South. where the
heat is less, the days shorter and the
nights more refreshing. As a matter
Of fact. one half of the whole number Of
laborers now employed in the South in
the cultivation of cotton are white men.
The nOrtheru summer is short-mnch
snOl ter than the South-but it is much
hottsrfwhiIe ~itlasts, aud vegetation gets
the required amount Of sunshine in u
less number of days. But the CONNER
cial value Of everything depends upon
it's neighbo, hood and
AVAILABILITY 70 A MARKET.
Robinson Crusoe would have had little
use for gold mines. and the most fer
tie lands in the world must rot with
the l%uxnriance of their vegetation un
less .Olne means were discovered to
transport it, riches to some great distri
butiDg point for the use Of men. But |
Louisiana has felt the effects Of modern !
civilization even iu its most remote |
portions. and lines of railroad already |
constructed serve to bear to the most !
thickly settled parts If the world the
productions Of it's staples, ito delicious
fruits and its valuable :imbers. The
New Orleans Pacific railway, for exam
pie. nus from New Orleans northwest
srnly for more than 800 miles through
the Red river and Mississippi river val
leys, and travels some II Ut the
richest parishes. Or counties. of the
state.' Upon its line are some Of the
most important towns: Shreveport,
Mansfield, Alexandria, Plaquemine,
Donaldson vile, etc. All these furnish
growing and permanent markets for
the produce that is raised in the vicini-
~. But more important than all, let
Us pause for . moment to contemplate
the city of New Orleaus-a city for
which, in connection with St. Louis,
Senator Edmunds recently prophesied
q great destiDy-a city which 30 years.
Of more ago babe fair to rival in com
mercial greatness and importance the
metropolis of New York, the principal
commercial city Of the South. ::hc lar
gest cotton mart in the world, aud per
haps not less important 10 our purpo
see. the scat of the international cotton
exposition Of 1884. The city is sItoa
ted on the Mississippi, 1O5 miles dis
tant from the point where the Father !,
Of Waters" discharges himself into the
gulf of Mexico. Until recently, the OBJ
stl uctions at the mouth Of the river
have seriously impeded the vast COM
merce of the port, but the /
SUCCESS OF THE JET Y sYs EN-
has at last opened a channel 30 feet
deep. through which the largest ships
can now pass without detention up to