The Opelousas courier. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1852-1910, 1886-06-05
BARBREcK, May 81, 1886
EDITORS COURIER

While We are engaged for q time on
this fine and popular old Plantation,
we shall try to pencil you few OF the
many items of interest taking place
here and in the surrounding country. ,
So far as thu crops of corn, cotton
and cane are concerned, they all look
as we'll as could be expected, when we
come to consider that no rain OF any
consequence has fallen for a period OF
thirty odd days. The land is getting
very dry and rain is beginning to be
needed very much.
Since have been here, and in the
last few days have been shown some
very fine corn by Mr.. VIM. Lauther,
who is at present the courteous, go
ahead business agent of this and other
large plantations here on the Beuf.
This gentleman called my attention a
few days ago to some very fine stubble
be has growing on the st. Peters
plantation. This stubble was thought
at one time to be entirely killed by
the freeze we had last winter, but when
| the warm sun began to shine out on
the ground, this stubble commenced to
send forth rattoons so strong and plen'
! tiful that it was soon decided to be
advisable to start the plows. The re-
! suit to day is fair stand of growing
cane from several acres of last years.
stubble. Cotton is small yet, but is
clean and doing fairly well in spite OF
the dry season we have been having ;
on the three plantations of Barbreck,
/ st. Peters and Anchorage, there are
some 600 acres of land planted to cot
ton, and all in fair to good condition ;
fully 1000 acres devoted to corn and
600 acres to cane, all of which is doing
fairly we'll. Corn land, that on which
the crop has been laid by, has been
8 sown to cOw-peas. Oats are very good
and will soon be ready for the cradle.
Gardens throughout the neighbor,
hood are reported to be very fine. Sc
far no real complaints have reached
the ears of your reporter, and the coun
try seems to be doing fairly well il
every respect, considering the close
tipht times we have been passing
through.
The old "Gold Dust Plantation wa
sold last week, purchased by various
enterprising small farmers living her
in the surrounding country. Thes
: new purchasers will, re understand
commence this season TO improve thel
newly acquired property.
1t was our good fortune last Friday
the 28th, to receive an invitation fron
: Mr.. Lauther to take a seat with him i
his buggy for the picnic grounds, stu
ated in shady nook on the Gold Dus
Plantation. A short drive over goo
roads behind fast team, soon lande
f MS at the grounds. We never witness
q ed a more pleasant affair. The table
6 were fairly groaning under their weigI
{ of all the many dellcacies of the season
4 and oil the old folks with those ths
{ we're younger, enjoyed the occasion
!. the fullest sense of the wor'
/. Among those present We noticed Mi
! Nettie Morris and Miss Loula Waite
a from Opalousas, Miss Fannie CrawfOl
: of Washington, and quite number
& ladies' and gentlemen from Whiteyil
! and the surrounding country and ii
% vicinity. Further We can only say
3 was gala day of good cheer
around.
er In the evening number of
le young people assembled at the re
al dence Of Mr. VIM. Lauther. Soon I
n- sound Of music was heard and I
], dance led OF by MIR. Jno. Trainor, ]