The Opelousas courier., 1888-07-07
st. Landry Parish.
Its Fertile Soil, Hea1tIIful Climate and
Abundant Described by
one of its Citizens.

Dr.A ID. w. Foster, one of our most
esteemed citizens, has written a letter to
the Ruston (La.) C~aligraph, from which
we make the following extracts:
In the first place, we have not only q
beautiful country, but u pleasant, and
healthy, and productive one ~aso. |
will soon be GA years old, and | have
travelled Il good deal in the United
States and ont of them !; and | have
had extensive experience in the prac-
tice of medicine in various ATTITUDES
and climates, and during most of the
time | have been connected with plant
ing also, and | ought therefore to be
prepared to give an opinion as to the
salnbrity and productiveness of this
country, where | have resided mainly
Nor more than II quarter of q century,
and | have to say that don't know
any other country that combines so
mahy material advantages in the way
of all the necessary elements for COM
fort and prosperity as, arc afforded
here. But to be fully appreciated, our
delightful and desirable country must
be seen and to be fallen in love with,
needs but to be
Aud would advise all you good peO
Pile mp there who may not be satisfied
where they are to come down and see
for themselves. For if | were to fill
your columns describing our country
and its advantages "the half wcpld not
be told But with your permission b
will attempt to give some outlines Of
Jul st. Landry parish.
For convenience of description and
better understanding of its topography.
[ will divide the parish into three par
alleI zones running north ans south.
The western one is bounded by the
Atrhafalaya river, Il deep ~navigable
strenm, along the banks of which are
plantations of wonderful fertility. In
the northern portion of that zone I'm
of the land is subject to overflow, but
is dcnsely covered with valuable tim
Der, aud intersected with bayous along
whose banks are some high and very
productive lands in cultivation. In
the southern part of that same western
belt are rich p~rairies and bayons with
woodlands. In the middle zone, which
is the most choice portion of the parish.
are gently n%ndulating prairies covered
with waving grass and grazing herds
of cattle and horses, dotted with high
land Iakelets, and t~raversed by mean
dering water courses, which are skirt,
ed with narrow woodlands, which
make up enchanting landscapes, which
are constantly famed by fresh sea
brcezrS from the Gulf of Mexico which
is only about one degree sonth of us.
Aud while these breeZes are cool and
refreshing aud healthful in summer,
they are soft and baImy in the winter,
aud TINS our temperature is rendered
uniformly mild and pleasant all the
time for both man aud beast, The
stock live and feed throughout the year
without attention from their owners.
Our soil is "A loose vegetable mould
about ~ TO is inches eep then IL hard
pan Of clay exists wllhth IL su impervi-
Gus to water that all fertilizers put
upon the land is retained, and the land
can be kept to- fabulous productive
ness forever. Our soil here in it's virgin
state will yield from 25 to 40 bushels
of corn, 40 to 60 of oats, Z to bale
(450 lbs of cotton, etc, etc. Gardens
of all kinds of vegetables thrive spring
and fall. Such fruits as peaches, pears,
plums, figs, etc, do we'll here. All pro-
auctions adapted to southern climate
do well here, and of course this is an
excellent stock country. AS fine horses,
cows, hogs, and sheep can be raised
here rs anywhere.
The Morgan Railroad from New Or
leans to Alexandria on Red river runs
through II parish north and south;
the Texas Pacific runs across the north
ern end, and the Southern Pacific near
the southern border, and there is steam
boat navigation three-fourths of the
year from Washington to New Orleans.
Land sells according to location,
quality, etc, Z; unimproved at $3.50 to
1925 o improved at So to $25. Stock
sells, our grass raised horses, from $40
to $50 and $75 milk cows and calves
$I2'to $l8 and $50.