St. Tammany farmer., 1888-03-10
IMMIGRATION.

IMMIGRATION.
The State Imm igration Conven.
ton assembled at New Orleans last
Monday morning and adjourned
Wednesday evening. Permanent
organization was effected by the
election Of the following officers:
President, Col. Geo. Moormsn
Vice Presidents Zone from eacL
Congressional District:) First Dis.
trict. John Dymond; Second Dis.
trict. VIM. B. Schmidt; Third Die.
trict. Don Caffrey: Fourth District
W. H. Jack ; Fifth District. W. g.
Wyly; Sixth District. Judge Jas. n
Thompson.
A number Of eminent speakers
addressed the Convention upon the
unlimited and varied resources oi
our State. and the inducements OF.
ferej to immigrants. We give be.
low . brief synopsis Of the speech ol
JuDaE Jas. N. THOMPSON.
Of Covington, - being Of more than
local interest, which We copy from
the Pieoyune:
"Judgs TboEpson stated that be
had not come prepared to speak,
and had not at his fingers ends the
data necessary to give . full descrip-
tion OF the district he represented
in the Convention. This district was
composed OF the parishes OF st.
Tammany. Washington and part Of
rangipahoa. or that section lying
east Of the Illinois Central Railroad
north Of Lake Pontchartrain, west
Of Pearl River and south Of the Mis-
sissippi State line.
"This country could boast Of no
broad acres or large plantations of
cotton or sugar cane. but q country
in which much of the forests were
in virgin state. For many years
this country was supposed to be
1T for nothing but timber or for
cattle and sheep. For SIX
teen miles north OF Lake Pontchar.
train the country was fat and level,
but from there to the Mississippi
line it was rolling and hilly-excel-
|ent for agricultural and grazing
II was traversed by
beautiful streams OF clear. cold
water, which were navig.ble for 20
miles inland from the lake. They
we're not the sluggish bayous oom-
mon to the lowlands Of Louisiana,
put swift ripping streams. beauti-
'ul to the sight and picturesque in
heir surroundings.
"The land vas covered with q
growth Of the finest long-lesfed yel-
ow pine timber. exocpt on the bor-
lers Of our stream Q, each of which
Sas fringed with . thick growth Of
'ak. magnolia. beech. several spe-
lies Of gum and other trees which
we're ever green. There was no
'wamp. and the surface OF the
.round was . sandy loan from 81
inches to 2 feet in depth. when a
trata Of clay was reached. Thi.
ubsoil served to keep such fertil-
zers o might be used from wash.
ng away. hence fertilizers were
lsed with the best results.
'As late as 1860 the frst attempt
o plant sugar cane in st Tammany
'as made. and the man was laugh
d at He WAS successful. and now |
here are 100 sugar mills. large and |
mail. in the parish. The land |
'ould yield from 10 to IL gallons of
yrup to the acre Of cane without
ertilizers or intelligent cultivation.
low 500 gallons of syrup could be
aised to the acre. at . cost OF Is
ents for fertilizers. and such land
ould certainly not be considered
COR land.
formerly charcoal. tar and tur-
entine were considered the pro-
ucts OF the cou0try. but now. with
,diferent cultivation. from 80 to
0 bushels of corn could be raised
, the acre. 800 bushels of sweet
or from 10 to IL bushels
rice. and the cultivation all car
led on in . very crude manner.
'onedust was the fertilizer most
ommonly used. and it required
bout 400 pounds to the acre at o
BET Of "a. After a lapse of three
: four years the quantity Of fertil-
er required was decreased until
bout GO pounds to the acre was
lfficieut.
'Rice farms Welded from 10 10