St. Landry democrat., 1889-03-23

words notice. In This reSaIu, ouo -.
out peer in the nation. This dlstlnceion
has advantages too great for adequate G ;nh
ment. These waterways 1ufnlsn ns
ways for commerce, and are 1n1uential lot
can be made SOY to check excessive rates .,
transportation. They give abundant, anu
even inexhaustible supplies OF wafer ios
stock raising, desideratuno that ANYONE
who has ever raised stock in an ara couh-
try will highly appreciate. Almost every
stream abounds with fish OF very nho
quality. The main streams are un1ali!hs:
fed from far-off sources. The Mississippi
river drains almost half the United States
The Arkansas and Red rivers course sew
eral States and Territories, and draw their
supplies of water q vast distance 1ro"
their mouths.
So pervading or penetrating is the .paV-
liability of many of the streams of Louis
lana, that at thousands of homes the pas
senger and his freight can be landed al
most literally at his very door. And there
is open to all such Unlimited opportunities
for, bathing, sailing boating, etc. The lum-
bermen find in many of these streams the
cheapest and safest of all means of rafting
his timber to the mill, and if he will, or
floating his lumber to markets. On the
smaller streams are unlimited opportu-
mites for fsh-ponds, and one can have the
option of catching several species OF hsh
from the brook, or one or more species
from the fsh-pond.
Louisiana abounds in lakes (there are
over three thousand miles of them, many
of them navigable), salt and fresh. In the
former are found oysters, crab and shrimp
(the true cray-fsh SO dear to Englishmnen).
In the latter are also many choice species OF
fish. Many of these lakes are navigable and
beautifully wooded, and some day will be
beautifed with homes cherished as winter
resorts. This aspect of these lakes has
never had the consideration it deserves.
Only few spots have received the atten-
ton their loneliness warrants, and will,
ere long, command. Thousands of lovely
villas will! deck their shores within the
next quarter of century, and they will be
graced with the most aesthetic features
of Horticulture and arboriculture. The
gaily painted yacht will curtsey on their
waters, and the embellishments of archi
lecture will add its charms to their shores
And in these lovely homes, the graces of
domestic life will embellish and heighten
natural attractions, and nature will render
back it's inestimable blessings of health,
and the innocent joys of birdsongs, flowers,
balmy airs and glorious skies. Well
might one dilate at large on the large lus-
cious, innocent, soothing narcotism of the
gulf airs but space forbids. Mr.. Joseph
Jefferson, the world renowned actor and
impersonator of Rip Van Wrinkle, places
special emphasis on the bland and heal
ing effects of the climate on overstrung
nerves, and overweight brain, and the
relaxed and overdone business man, at his
winter home near one of these lakes.
There are nearly four thousand miles of
the mileage of brooks is almost incomput-
able.
TIMBER WEALTH.
In her wealth and variety of timber,
Louisiana has no superior, if peer, in the
United States. In point of species of woods,
there are PROBABLY over hundred, and
their value is unequaled by those of any
State in the Union, and their magnifcence
surpassed by none but by a few of the giants
Of California. In ornamental trees, her wide
spreading live oaks have no peer. Their
breadth of foliage, and the deep and cordial
tones of their color are never failing Joy,
to say nothing of their shapeliness. The
comparable beauty both of form and foil
bloom overfows almost all summer with
an intensity and pervasion of fragrance,
that is almost uncomfortable to some. But
space forbids much regard to the aesthetic
side of Louisiana's fora. The hard woods
many species of oak, several of hickory
(the pecan among them), ash, etc, are most
superb in size and fibre. Probably no
State in tie Union can show such profu-
sion, quality and size of the last three
species. as Louisiana.
In cypress, Louisiana is vastly ahead of
any other State in the Union, not only in
quantity, but in quality. This wood is
making its way into many uses, and within
few years has met with such general
commentator that it is in great demand.
Many mills in Louisiana run entirely on
it's "cut," and the business is one of the
most expanded industries of the state. In
certain localities is found birdseye cypress
especially in demand for ornamental work.
Of yellow pine, Louisiana has one of the
largest supplies of any State in the Union,
and is claimed by some to surpass any
State. This tree grows only in the South.
Of late it's lumber has grown into great ia
vor, and according to Mr.. w. II. Howcott,
leading authority, has come into extern
sive use in Idaho, Montana, Colorado, New
Mexico, Arizona, etc. 1t has greatly sup
planted other lumber in many Western
cities. According to this authority, there
are over 2400 saw mills in the South, most
of them cutting this lumber; and fifty
millions of dollars have been invested in
Southern pine lands since the last census.
Louisiana has shared largely in these sales,
and millions of acres have been sold to
spectators and lumber manufacturers
The following compilation from the last
United States census, taken from Mr.. How
colts letter in the Baltimore M0nufactur-
ers' Record of January 5, 1889, shows the
status of Louisiana as to yellow pine:
The forestry bulletins of the last censu
of the United States give the following
estimates of long and short leaf yellow
pine standing June LIST, 1880. viz:
LongIeaf. feet Shortleaf, feet.
Alabama 1885, 000O 600 ...... $50.
Florida 6.615,UUO,O0O ............
Arkansas ........ .......-.... 4.3l5, 10000
Georgia. ......... 16,776,O00,0OO
Louisiana. ....... " 5oS 100000 2l.625 0OO,000
Mississippi. .... 100000 6,T5,00 900
North Carolina. 5,229. 100000 ...........
South Carolina. 5316. 600 600 &c. 093 200, coo