The Meridional. (Abbeville, La.) 1856-1906, 1886-02-06
VERMlLION PARISH.

west, contains vast quantities OF
pine, oak, cypress, hickory, etc,
which can be easily brought through
the heart of Vermilion Parish, by
steamers or sail vessels, ~ the Yer
river. On the Vermilion
river, along the .Mermentau. ou
Bayou Queue Tortue, on Coulte
Kinney and Crosse Isle Couiee, are
considerable qualities OF tinber
and wood in this parish furnishing
plenty Of fuel, but not nue., .o9cing
or building timber. Tits timber
is ash, magnolia, oak, hickory gun,
elm, beech, blackberry, prick'y asst.
cypress, linn. holly. wild cherry
pecan, walnut, etc, etc. There Is
no pine in this parish. On the prai-
ries it is very easy to raise a grove
of CHINA trees and willow or cotton
wood, which In Jur " fea yeata
will furnish a plenty Of full t1r Ibis
mild climate. The steamboats, aud
schoouers running on The river, bring
plenty Of lnmber aud fenc'ng, and
exchange it for eorn Or -sngar or
molasses with the farmers along the
river. Good yellow zine lumber
can be mad iu small quantities for,
from SIS to $22 pei thousand feet,
delivered On the river bank, and cy-
press from $40 to $50 pei thousand;
for considerable quantities, it can he
bought for from s. to IS less per
thousand. Good cypress shingles are
worth about s. D. 81 ~. thousand.
They arc very dlr&dlc.
The larger proportion 81 tao popn
iation OF Verm;Iicn ps ia, are des
pendants Of the Aead "a refugees,
who we're driven ~. # Acadia "
Nova >ca1.& 5u s755. aud r;aY OF
whom settret ID t4is par. e Lan's
lana a lev years. Afterwards, 10
this class must he addict a pot.loG
of French and itaj]A- Immigrants
and also a considerable aoraaer Of
America ii called, beiog native:
If other Stages # The uaIoD, both
north ana south Quite a nunnneI
Of settier2 2te from Indiana, Illinois
Pennsylvania, New York and othe:
northern States, Others from Teunes
see. Virgins, Georgia, Kentucky
etc. The peope Of Fgcnch and la
han descent are chiefly Catholics
and those 81 English Of from otaet
States, are generally Protes5,ats
Schools are neglected. and in a back
| ward condition, tut the laws Of TIT
State provides for free public schools
and signs Of improvement are visi
BILE. StocH-raising occupies the
| chief attention Of The old Creole arc
Acadian settlers, although some o
them are very enterprising snd
pushing farmer \ great deal 0
monev has been maje bY some o
our lsrge stock lasssgs nd is nov
being made cooetsndy The Ameri
can class are generally devoted ID
agriculture, aud do not pay much 81
tent;on to stock-raising, Bot
branches are profitable, but stock
raising does not admit Of building
up the country when common wild
stock are raised as in this parish.
Fine stock and sheep could bt
made very profitable here, as TIT
climate is mild and grazing lasts tn
year through. But little food woul'
be required to winter on, and cattl
when well fed and sheltered, ar
very healthy and prolific. No 20,
ton of Texas can excel this paris|
for stock, sheep or horses, aud
good market is near at hand. Their
is abundance Of stock water Of goo,
quality, also for domestic purposes
The wells dug in the prairie ar
generally from ten 10 twenty feet i
depth, and contain excellent wate1
and underground cisterns can b
made very cheapIy. by ~plastering o
the CLAY sides IF the cavity dino