St. Landry democrat., 1891-03-28
A Few Days in the Land of Roses.

A Few Days in the Land of Roses.
We left Des Moines on the evening of the
18th of Jan, over the Wabash to Kansas
over the Great Santa Fe Route, landing
us at Houston about midnight. The next
forenoon we boarded the Southern Pacific
and landed a. Lake Charles about II a. M.
We walked up town about mile, inqulr-
ing for THE AMERICAN office, and at last
found this newspaper plant, which is used
in booming the South Remaining there
few minutes, finding out all we could about
the south, we went to secure place
to lodge and eat We "took in" the city,
which has abou, 4 ,OGO inhabitants, then
went TO Welsh, and north of that place about
30 miles where Messrs. Newhouse, Tice,
Sutherland and Mills are located. The gen
tlemen treated us most kindly, showing US
the advantages of the South over
the North. These advantages are
list. The climate cannot be beat
en- in the world The sources
of this most excellent climate are, the
coolest weather is slight frost and the
warmest weather is very seldom above 100
degrees, thus making on an average a
very even temperature. We will here
answer the question asked us hundred
times, "Do they have the fever and ague."
In answer to this will say, that we investi-
gated this as far rs we could and the an
Swer they gave us was, THAT II we take
care of ourselves as you people in the North
do, we never have this trouble that the
North say we have all the time" Another
source of health is, that they drink cistern
water, which is the purest water. We
never drank purer and better water than
while at Lake Charles. Another great
source and predominant source Is the salty
breeze from the gulf, laden with qualities
that retain and strengthen life.
We nave sligh touched upon the sources
that produce good health.
2nd. The productions and their prices
are as follows: Rice, the main product,
is king of Southern La. at the pre- sen'
time. 1t yields from six to fifteen sacks
per acre. Thus the rice raiser realizes
from $25 to So from each acre and the
expense of raising rice, is but trlte more
than raising wheat. Not much cane
is raised in that district because they have
no rehnerles at present. but Lake Charles
will soon be blessed with refinery and
one can realize as much from cane as from
rice.
NotLou 10 d PIoduI' 1ioo sAASAS,
but not much is cultivated, because more
can be realized from rice.
Sweet potatoes that grow to weigh III
pounds, are agreat product. The settlers feed
many of the above TO their stock, and they
are the corn that fatten swine
Corn is not success unless you fer,ilfze,
then you can raise good corn, but not the
corn that Iowa raises.
The fruits ave quite many. The prln-
cipsl ones are. peaches, fine ones. They
told US that one could have a good peach
orchard in two years. Figs are q staple
fruit in that section, plentiful a, here OF
| course you must plant the trees and Guilt
vate them. Oranges are success in that
| locality, but do better about 30 miles south
of Lake Charles and Welsh. We saw q
number of trees q; Lake Charles, that
were yellow with the much craved fruit.
Black berries are in untold quantities, grow
ing wild. The dewDer is prolific also.
| 3D.. Garden vegetables are as numerous as
in the North. We saw beautiful gardens
| growing there in the winter time. In
summer they are most excellent.
Atm. Lumber the most beautiful we ever
saw The hard pine tree grows 50 and Is
| feet, straight as Can be, without limb
The best lumber can be bought for IS
$12.
9th. May sheep are raised there. Wool
brings as much there rs here, and you can
| buy the best mutton sheep for 81 5O
Tue Southern cattle are many and become
rolling fat In the summer, but when the
frost comes they become as Jobs turkey
Northern cattle, full grown are almost
81 re to die there, bu! you may take calve:
and colts from here to there and they are
success. Mr.. Nets Tice has two jersey
calves that he took from Dallas Co. anc
they look fine Mr.. Newhouse also has
some young stock that are doing we'll.
Will stop for fear you are worried witt
this. ANY further questions about the
South yoa may drop in the news box
Will give column of locals on the Soutt
next week.-Johm Watts and Q. W. Smith
in De1ter (Io1oa) Sentinel.