The Opelousas courier., 1885-06-06
Louisiana to the Front.

Inc dSEASuiCuA" A VI
Tonisiana are far greater than
4 generally supposed. Average
american citizens credit Louisi-
ana with greater sugar-produc-
no capabilities than those pos
aessed BY any other State of the
Union. but they fail to extend
That estimate of superiority to
any other class of agricultu-
raj products. Some, indeed,
make the mistake of supposing
chat all Of Louisiana lands
which are not closely akin TO
swamps, are pine barrens, capa-
bic Of producing nothing but
watermeIons and sweet pota-
toes. But the fact is that both
the high and the low lands of
Louisiana are exceptionally fer
tile-a statement which is borne
ont by the crop statistics col
lected by the officers of the
Census Bureau.
Tn an interesting .eight-page
pamphlet entitled Louisiana
ifs Agricultural Wealth, and
the Extent to which it can be
Increased etc, we find facts
and figures touching the fertili-
tn, productiveness and natural
resources of the State, interest
ingly presented.
According to the census of
1860 the per capita wealth of
louisiana was greater than that
B any other State of the Union
IL amounted to $3.50 for each
free family, and the credit of
the State stood exceptionally
high both at home and abroad.
This was attributable chiefly to
the fertility of the soil, not to
the Negroes held in bondage,
Tor the number of slaves in
Louisiana was less than in the
other Gulf States respectively.
Such exhaustive crops as indigo
and sugar cane, after more than
d century of continued cultiva-
zion, have failed TO seriously
diminish the fertility of the RI
parian plantations. Louisiana
can, indeed, compete with South
Carolina in the production of
rice, with Florida in the produc-
lion of oranges, and she stands
FIRST among the States of the
cotton belt in the production of
cotton.
III order to render the contrast
striking the author of the pam
Dhlet under review has selected
Alabama-a fair representative
Of the industrial and financial
condition prevailing among che
older Southern States-in order
to emphasize Lonisiana's supe-
ri0fity. Though the rural popu-
iahion Of Alabama is 10 per
cent greater than that of Louis
lama, and her agricultural labor
ers ga per cent greater, yet the
PRODUCTS of Louisiana exceed in
value those of Alabama. The
following summary, reported by
she Department of Agriculture
for 1883, tells the story briefly /:
Louisiana Alabama;
Acres cultivated 2,I5e,343 5,6sO,Ill
Hande Employed. 225,837 4I8,693
Products. $50, 92S, 967 $5l .500,S32
This shows that with less than
half the number of acres III cnl-
gIgation and with but little
more than half the number of
hands, Louisiana, ID 1888, rails
& ,423,I35 more agricultural
pFoaacts than Alabama. Prof.
gard IS authority for the
Statement that the centre of
maximum cotton production on
natural soils III the United
States, and probably in the
world may be found in Louis
iana. For five years the aver
agA production Of eotton per
acre ID this State was 81 Of q
aIe, while for the same period
hs average production in Ala
ANA was 81.
all financial matters the con-
ss is less pronounced. The
Louisiana State debt is now
In ,d7I, $50; The assessment for
1886 Is expected to reach $685.
0aO. 1000, and the Louisiana
bonds are now a solid four per
cent security, having thirty
years to run, making them pre-
lsgable to any other State seel-
nity of equal class The AIaba-
ana State debt IS s9,169,100, and
he assessment is $179,8l1,642.
SAD AFEAIR.-Mrs Oscar
zebert started last Wednesday,
buggy for Fausse Pionte.
Shortly after leaving. the driver