St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1904-12-10
Finest Orchard in this
Section.
From The Times-Democrat. I

raised by j. W. Provost on Con.
chas Islaud. in Lake Pontcbartrain,
near Fair Pike, about twenty-five
miles from the City, has been an
object OF admiration in New Or
leans .he past few days. The Or
ange grew on a tree a little over
three feet high, and is pronounced
a marvel, both III flavor ana color.
lis extreme size is attributed TO the
fertility OF the island soul.
j. W. Provost. in the insurance
business at 623 Gravier street,
bought the Island about four years
ago, with the intention of putting it
under cultivation and raising cattle.
Since he planted his first tree, be
has had splendid results from every
thing he put in the ground. His
expectatlons were even surpassed.
Some OF finest vegetables and fruit,
both as to size and quality, ever
brought to the local market, have
b eenraised GU the leland,
Mr. Provost has growing over
2O0C budded pecan trees, few Of
which bore for the first time this
year. There are nineteen different
varieties. Besides this he has A.
600 trees in the nursery, which will
be ready for planting next year.
His nursery covers about twenty
acres.
In addition to this, he has about
70 200 orange trees on the place.
Among these are the navel, the sat
suma, king, homosasas, Brazilian,
pineapple and Louisiana. He has
also fine growth OF mandarlns anG
tangerines. He has besides 23OO
Japan plume and 600 pear trees.
which will bear in few years.
The soil of this island Is said to
be of remar kable fertility. This Is
due partly to the great quantity Of
CLAN shells with which the island is
strewn. Shells have been found to
the depth of 200 feet when drilling
wells. The shells contain large
percentage of lime, and help the
ground TO retain it's moisture. This
is considered the secret of the re-
markable size which vegetables and
fruit have attained.
The island was formerly known
as Las Conchas Island, and is
bounded by Salt Bayou, Lake
Pontchsrtra,n, R'golettes and Pearl
River. west branch. One.third Of
the island is marsh, but it IS easy
to drain. The highlands are never
overdowed. It contains: thick
growth of hardwood trees.
The forest is practically virgin
one. Year after year, in the fall,
the ground was strewn with q layer
of scared leaves. These decayed
rapidly il. the bracklsn water of the
marsh, imparting fertility to the
oil when, when it was drained,
gave such eplendid results. 1t is u
mixture between Mississippi sand,
dead leaves and manure. The leland
contains 10000 acres. 1t has shell
banks and one white sand tank.
These haye been accumulating for
centuries and have been found hum
dreds OF feet below tue surface
The sand is of the finest quality.
Before the war sea island cotton
was raised on the island, which was
SAID to be as fine as that raised in
the Carolinas. Mr.. Provost has
raised some cotton within the past
few years which had u two-incb
thread. The bushes were seven
feet high.
There are Eve artesian wells on
the place, each flowing over sixty
gallons per minute. The water is
as clear as crystal. and fine for
drinking purposes. The wells go
down about 800 feet. Mr.. Provost
expects, in the next few years, to
have one of the finest orchards in
this section Of the country. When
his extensive nursery shall have
been taansplan'ed, and when his
present acreage of fruit trees shall
be old enough to produce, he will
have enough fruit to furnish a large
percentagetto this market. He has
brought 10 the city exlra.sized
mandarins from his orchard. They
were nearly twice the size Of those
found on fruit Glands. The pecans
are all Of the large variety The
trees are all grated.
Speaking Of the extraordinary
size of the orange which has been
seen apd admired by many, Mr..
Provost said it was raised on a tree
which had had many blossoms in
the spring. In order not to over
tax it's strength he allowed only a /!
few to remain, with the result that
the tree produced something out of
the ordinary He also surroun Is
his trees with shells, and thu, he
thinks, helps the fruit, while it sus-
Jams the strength Of tue tree.
WANTED-Everybody to know that
Magee & Co. Ltd, handle
rulaae Blend Coffee.
The rovornmoDt cot inofo -