The Opelousas courier., 1888-10-13
st. Landry Parish.
Its Fertile Soil, H~ealthful Climate ana
Abundant Resources Described
by one of its Citizens.

Abundant Resources Described
by one of its Citizens.
DR.. d. w. Foster, n of our most
esteemed citizens, has written a letter
to the Ruston, (La1 Caligraph, from
which we make the following extracts
In the first place, we have not only a
beautiful country, but a pleasant, and
healthy, and productive n also. ]
will soon be GA years old, and / have
travelled a good deal in the United
States and out of them and 1 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 l ought therefore to be
prepared to give an opinion as to the
salubrity and productiyeness of this
country, where / have resided mainly
for more than a quarter of a century,
and I have to say that | don't know
any other country that combines so
many natural advantages in the way
of all the necessary elements for COM
fort and prosperity as are 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
People need not hesitate to come in
any month in the year to our climate,
which l have found really more pleas
ant as we'll as healthy at all times than
| have experienced in the North, sum
mer as vel as winter; and as to max
ing crops here, about as good cotton,
potatoes, peas, &C., may be made the
first year as any, with really less labor
in the cultivation, as there will be no
crab grass to contend with. The vir-
gin soil may be plowed here for these
crops, including cotton, as late as Feb
ruary OF March. 1t is frequently done
successfully. And as to health, with
prudential care there is no more risk
hore than in the North or West, and
missed our refreshing sea breezes while
| was up there. 1t is a we'll known fact
that there are more sunstrokes-pros-
t%rations from heat-up North than
down South.
And | would advise all you good peo-
pie up there who may not be satisfied
where they are to come down and see
for themselves. For if I were to fill
your columns describing our country
and it's advantages 'tthe half would not
ll,e told But with your permission I
Itvill attempt to give some outlines OF
our st. Landry parish.
For convenience of description and
/ better understanding of its topography.
I will divide the parish into three par.
allel zones running north and south.
The eastern zone is bounded by the
Atchafalaya river, a deep navigable
stream, along the banks of which are
plantations of wonderful fertility. In
the northern portion of that zone some
of the land is subject to overflow, but
is densely covered with valuable tim
beE, and intersected with bayous along
whose banks are some high and very
productive lands in cultivation. In
the southern part of that same eastern
belt are rich prairies and bayous with
woodlands. In the middle zone, which
is the most choice portion of the parish,
are gently undulasing prairies covered
with waving grass and grazing herds
of cattle and horses, dotted with high
land lakelets, and trayersed by mean
dering water courses, which are skirt
ed with narrow woodlands, which
make ue enchanting landscapes, which
are constantly famed by fresh sea
breezes from the GulS of Mexico which
is only about one degree south of us.
And while these breezes are cool and
refreshing and healthful in summer,
they are soft and balmy in the winter,
and thus our temperature is rendered
uniformly mild and pleasant all the
time for both mai and beast, The
stock live and feed throughout the year
without attention from their owners
Our soil is q 1ooseAyegetable mould
about IL to Is inches seep then q hard
pan of clay exists which is 80 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 its virgin
state will yield from rs to 40 bushels
Of corn, 40 to 60 of oats, 4 to ! bale
80 lbs.) of cotton, etc., etc. Gardens
Of all kinds of vegetables thrive spring
and fall. Such fruits as peaches, pears,
pluols, figs, ETC., do we'll here. Albpro-
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 as anywhere.
The Morgan Railroad from New Or
leans to Alexandria on Red river runs
through our parish dorth. 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 seBs according to location,
quality, etc.; unimproved at $3.50 to
$3.50 improved at So to $$25. Stock
sells, our grass raised horses, from $40
to $50 and $75 milk cows and calves
$I2 to $18 and $50.