St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1889-04-27
The Atchafalaya Country.
Correspondent n. Q. Times Democrat.


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Correspondent n. Q. Times Democrat.
Gould our friends Of the North
and West but step down and spend
this lovely day with us Louisian.
ians, would they not be surprised
and delighted at our sscomfortable
weather. At this writing the ther
mometer is standing at zoo. We
have not had a freeze this winter
Excepting q few heavy frosts, We
have had no cold weather.
On this (Atchafalaya) river We
have as fine, fertile lands az can be
found in the South. With ordina
ry cultivation they produce Won
derful crops of corn, cotton and
cane. Planters here would scorn
the idea of using fertilizers. ! an
reliably informed that two bales Of
cotton have been produced to the
acre. From last years experience
am sure can produce fifty bushels
Of corn to the acre from the soil
alone. One of my neighbors gather
ed this year from one acre of land
456 bushels sweet potatoes, with
out fertilization of any kind. ]
hauled his potatoes to the place oil
banking, and know whereof / af
firm.
The finest dewberries, in rich pro.
fusion, grow spontaneously over our
lands. We have to pillow them I'M.
der to make other crops. To those
understanding the business this
doubtless could be made a profita.
ble crop. Vegetables grow luxuri.
antly, and we can have fine "gar,
den truck" all winter. We have
abundant and cheap transportation
facilities-two regular packets in
the river, and the Texas and Paci-
fic Railroad crossing the river at
Melville, a thriving little town of
some 800 inhabitants. A cypress
shingle factory i'll Melville. with a
capacity of 100000 shingles per day,
gives employment to quite a mum.
Der of men /; an ash staye factory in
course of construction will furnish
work at good wages for more.
Several large fish dealers in town
afford constant employment for
many i'll catching, dressing and
shipping creatures of the tinny
tribe. Fish on ice are shipped West
in large quantities, where they will
find ready market.
There are five thrifty stores in
town doing a general merchandise
business, principally for cash. The
inevitable saloon furnishes the
''beer on icev at all seasons and
other (supposed) necessary stimu.
lating refreshments.
Many OF our citizens are engaged
in cutting and floating to market
the fine cypress timber to be found
in the swamps, which is apparently
very profitable industry. Several
neat houses have been recently
built in and near the town, and q
spirit of improvement is manifest
all along the line. There are three
church organizations - Episcopal,
Methodist and Baptist. The Meth.
odists have a comfortable house of
worship, The others contemplate
building in the near fEe>nre. There
are two Sunday schools in the place.
A good public school is kept open
the regular session Of ten months,
presided over by an accomplished
and estimablo lady, relict of the late
Rev. Mr.. Landrum. We are pro-
tected from overflow by a complete
line of substantial levee from Mel.
vile to the source of the Atchafala.
va.
Agriculture in this immediate
section is rather in the back aground.
We need more farmers, good, relia-
BILE men, who are not afraid to work,
to open and develop the vast agri-.
cultural resources of our exceeding
~ fertile lands. To such we offer
homes on reasonable terms, for rent
or sale, and will give them a hearty
welcome. Any inquiries will be
promptly answered by
G. M. SHERRoUsE.