The Opelousas courier., 1888-08-04

IOLOWIuS IdCES AlAy 10 udCd ia oaPp"i' '"
this broad assertion:
1t is the Southern Prairie Region.
This beautiful prairie belt is trayersed 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 in 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
pt red 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 Teehe country-has long been re-
garded 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 Long lily.
The influence of the gulf breezes upon this
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 nutfi-
tious food and such reasonable care as intelli'
gent people exercise in all countries, this re-
gion will be found very healthful 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 SAM
tarium fop 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
man remarked that he had heard more cough
ing during ono sermon north than Ill a SIX
months residence at Lake Charles. A very
reliable old gentleman, who has resided near
Lake Charles twelve years, stated that he be-
lieved any person could live on these p~raifies
forty years and never require the services OF a
physician.
There is an occasional case of malaria ABOUT
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 semi-tropl-
cal and temperate climates lice, corn, oats.
millet, sugar-cane, sorghum, cotton, tobacco,
Irish and sweet potatoes can be produced
a~bundantiy.
For vegetables it is equal to the best known
countries of the world Onions, cabbage. tnr-
nips. coilards, beets, carrots, etc. sown in the
fall grow all winter and can be grown exten.
sively for market,or for stock. Irish potatoes
49, -. A,roh and Anr;f Thu cfra rrIarrv
season extends from March, to July /. All
kinds of berries grow almost spontaneously. In
the woodlands are thousands of blackberries.
Trees and Fruit.
Southwestern Louisiana is pre-eminently a
timber and fruit country. Tees gtrw rapidly
and the timber is of superb quality. The Pc
can grown here is larger, richer, has a softer
shell and brings a higher price than when
enemy and will bear for sore the a century.
over two thousand dollars pei acre.
Engllsh-walnuts do equally as well as the
pecan.
The Gulfcoast produces the best figs grown
anywhere and the crop may be relied upon as
safely as a grass crop. 1t is produced from
the cutting and commences to bear at three
years old. With the abundant and cheap fuel
figs can be canned or dried at a cost merely
nominal.
Oranges, peaches, pears nectarines, aprieots,
apples, plums. grapes, citrons, ounces and
persimmons are grown with little care. Seed.
ling peach trees at two years old produce on
an average half a bushei of peaches; at three
years old the rink is. frequently five inches
in diameter. 1t must be remembered that
these results are achieved with no more care
and fertilizers than would be required for fruit
culture in Iowa or Illinois. It does not re-
qnire 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 the
markets of the world by rail or water very d-
rect. In a short time the cultivation of
olives and of iute will become prominent in
dustries.
A remarkable feature of the fruit Industry
is that nearly everything grows from cuttings
apples. pears, peaches, plums, etc. This
greatly simplifies the whole problem of fruit
propagation.
The Grasses.
II is the most natural grass land upon the
continent. not excepting the great prairie states
of the northwest.
As soon as the wild grass is thoroughly
tTampled by the stock, the entire soil is covered
with sgazon carpet grass-(paspalum) and
Bermuda grass, the gazon taking the dryer por-
tons and the Bermuda the rich bottom. Gazon
produces broad, juicy leaves as abundantly as
grass, but it has these advantages over
grass
/, It forms a dense sod.
2. Il withstands the frost better, and is rel.
ished at all seasons of the year.
8. It possesses FIVE per cent more ~nutritive
1t makes excellent hay. In the
green state it is relislled by stock better than
any other grass except BeEauda.
The grazing period on good gazon pastures
will average ten and a half months in cold
winters, and the entire year in average jim
tiers.
On the high lands it is profitable TO feed
some hay to stock during a portion of the win
ter. Such stock as can have access to the
the winter. and frpm such pastures large mum
brrs of well rounded beeves are shipped annu-
ally in January, February and March.
Stock Water.
The water in the small streams is soft and
At an average deptl. of sixteen
feet there is a thick vein of fine sand. This
furnishes a grand supply of pure cool water
Insects.
The old notion that southwestern Louisiana
is a country pestered with all kinds of tror-
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 by
the wind.
On the higher prairies there are very few
insects to trouble the stock at any season,
and in this respect a most favorable compare
son may be drawn with the best grazing Sec