The Opelousas courier., 1888-06-16
Southwestern Louisiana.

presents attractions to the immigrant more va
ried and substantial than any other land. Inc
following facts may be added in support OF
this broad assertion:
1t is the Southern Prairie Region.
This beautiful prairie belt is traversed by
more navigable rivers than any other country
of equal territory, affording cheap transporta-
ton to the markets of the world, and inter
spersed with more magnificent lakes than any
other portion of the South.
On the north and skirting these rivers are
immense forests Of timber, that surpass III va
riety and quality any in the world, providing
endless labor for the lumbermen and cheap
and beautiful material for the settler. On the
south that vast inland sea, the Gulf OF Mexico,
fans this prairie with constant breezes, tenn
pered by the waters of the topics, giving it an
atmosphere always mellow and balmy. The
soil is a rich, fine, clay-loam, susceptible of
high cultivation. The eastern portion of this
tract-The Teche country-has long been re-
parded as the Garden of louisiana and has
been sought by the wealthiest planters of the
state The western portion, when brought
fully into cultivation, seems to be equally pro-
ductive.
Climate, Healthfulness and Longevity.
The influence of the gulf breeZes upofpthls
semi-tropical region causes an evenness OF
temperature rarely equaled. The breeze is
far more constant than upon the great pralrles
of Dakota and Iowa. 1t cools and retreshes,
but never chills, producing a blandness I'M
known except ON the Gulf coast. With nutrl-
tious food and such reasonable care as intelll'
gent people exercise i'll all countries, this re-
gion will be found very healthtul to northern
immigrants, owing to the constant breezes and
The possibility of living in the open air at all
seasons.
Thus far it has proven to be a perfect sanl-
tarium for persons troubled with ~catarrh, dys-
pepsia, chronic costiveness, dryness OF the
skin, certain forms of rheumatism, etc. Many
northern people are purchasing residence pro-
perty at Lake Charles and other points for a
health resort. Colds are rare. One gentle
mea remarked that he had heard more cough
ING duIng one sermon north than in a SIX
months residence at Lake Charles. A very
preliable old gentleman, who has resided near
Lake Charles twelve years, stated that he be
lieved any person could live on these pralries
forty years and never require the services OF Il
physician.
There is an occasional case of malaria anont
the same as in Illinois or Iowa.
Productions.
In the variety and the perfection of its pro
duets it is a most marvellous region, apparently
capable of producing all the trees, shrubs
/, fruits, cereals and grasses grown in Seml-tropl
cal and temperate climates lice, corn, oats
millet, sugar-cane, sorghum, cotton, tobacco
Irish and sweet potatoes can be produced
abundantly.
For vegetables it is equal to the best know
countries of the world. Onions, cabbage. tur
nips, collards, beets, carrots. etc, sown in thu
fail grow all winter and can be grown exten
siveIv for market or for stock Irish potatoe:
mature in March and April. The strawberry
season extends from March, to July i. Al
kinds of berries grow almost spontaneously. Ii
the woodlands are thousands of blaclsberrles
} Trees and Fruit.
Southwestern Louisiana is pre- eminently
timber and fruit country. Trees grow rapidly
and the timber is of superb qrality, The pc
can grown here is larger, richer, Las a softe
shell and brings a higher price than whel
grown in the interior. The pecan has NJ
enemy and will bear for more than a century
The crop yields the farme in many Instance
over two thousand dollars per acreof
u Engllsh-walnuts do equally ,As well as TIN
q pecan.
y The Gulfco produces the best figs growl
J anywhere and the crop may be relied upon a
safely as a grass crop. 1t is produced from
the cutting and commences to bear at three
: years old. With the abundant and cheap tue
:, FIGS can be canned or dried at a cost mercl,
nominal.
n Oranges, peaches, pears, nectarines, apricots
apples, plums. grapes, %citrons, ounces ant
h persimmons are grown with little care. Seed
ling peach trees at two years old produce oil
: an average half a bushel of peaches; at tlre
years old the trunk is frequently five inche
in diameter. 1t must be remembered tina
: these results are achieved with no more carr
and fertilizers than would be required for frui
n culture in Iowa or Illinois. 1t does not re
: quire the making up of a soil as in Florida
nor expensive irrigation as in California.
The soil is rich and deep, showers are regu
lar and abundant, and transportation to thu
markets of the world by rail or water very di
h rect. In a short time the cultivation O
olives and of jute will become prominent i'll
dustries.
t A remarkable feature of the fruit industry
f Is that nearly everything grows from cutting;
r apples. pears, peaches, pluns, etc. Ihi
greatly simplifies the whole problem {: frui
propagation.
The Grasses:
Il is the most natural grass land upon tn
!" continent, not excepting the great prairie state
= of the northwest.
6 AS soon as the wild grass is thorough,
n trampled by the stock, the entire soil is covered
with t'gazon"-carpet grass-(paspalum) an
Bermuda grass, the gazon taking the dryer POI
lions and the Bermuda the rich bottom. Gazo
produces broad, juicy leaves as abundantly a
orchard grass, but it has these advantages owe
V orchard grass
II /. 1t forms a dense sod.
3 2. 1t withstands the frost better and is re-
ished at all seasons of the year.
= 3. 1t possesses five per cent more nutritiy
material. 1t makes excellent hay. In til
green state it is relisled by stock better thai
o any other grass except Bermuda.
The grazing period on good gazon pasture
a will average ten and a hall months in coll
winters, and the entire year in average win
tiers. =
On the high lands it is profitable to fee
: some hay to stock during a portion of the win
ter. Such stock as can have access to tn
u salt grass upon the coast will keep fat during
the winter, and from such pastures large mum
bers of well rounded beeves are shipped annu
ally in January, February and March.
" Stock Water.
The water in the small streams is soft an,
abundant. At an average depth of sixteel
feet there is a thick vein of fine sand. Thi
furnishes a. grand supply of pure cool water
Insects.
The old notion that southwestern Louisian
is a country pestered with all kinds of trou
blesome insects has been thoroughly exploded
Flies are less numerous than in most northern
states and mosquitoes, except for a few days
at long intervals, when they are brought b,