The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1907-04-20
Weather and Crop Notes.

Inc IO1lOhIHR Interesting para.
graphs are culled from this weeks
Ascension letter to the Louisiana
Planter:
aEnoch Arden's despairing cry for
the sail of rescuing ship or King
Richards impassioned demand for a
horse were scarcely more feryent than
the longing with which the people of
this parish and section scan the skies
from day to day with the hope of de-
tecting signs of rain. The weather
man got funny again towards the close
of last week and sent along some more
low temperatures and stiff northerly
winds. Friday and Saturday were
quite cool, while Sunday was still
more so and a decidedly unpleasant
day. The conditions Monday were
only a trifle improved. Tuesday gave
promise of better things, as the tenn
perature was higher, and lots of damp
looking clouds seudded about and la
bored half the day to produce a down
pour. The performance was not in
keeping with the forecast, however, as
all we got was a measIy little shower
about 2:30 in the afternoon that lasted
scarcely a minute and didn't even
make things look moist. A very light
drizzle took place during the morning
hours of Wednesday and indications
for hard rain were apparently ex-
cellent, as the sky became overcast
with clouds and the wind dropped TO a
mere zephyr. All that came of it was
an entirely inadequate and unsatis-
factory drizzle, and by noon the sun
had come out again and was shining
as brightly as ever. The weather has
grown much warmer, though, and
hopes are high for an early sod
soaker and gully washer to relieve
the baked earth and parched vegeta-
ton.
'sCrops of all kinds are suffering
greatly for want Of rain and it is al
most heartrending to note the marked
deterioration of the conditions that
prevailed two or three weeks ago and
enthused our. planters with hopes of a
cord-breaking harvest. The drouth
is assuming serious proportions. The
dust is several inches thick on the
public highways and cistern water is
getting to be a scarce commodity.
A detailed statement OF the present
seasons crops on The Evan Hall plan
tation of Mccall Bros. Planting and
Mfg. Co., Ltd, has been prepared by
j. Emile Leblanc, the capable young
manager of that splendid estate, who
combines excellent clerical and scho-
lastfc capacity-including beautiful
handwriting and skillful manipulation
of the ypeWriter-With a high grade
of ability to direct field work success
fully. This statement shows that the
plantation has 2764 81 acres of land in
cultivation, of which 937 36 acres are
in corn and peas, and 1886. 40 ceres in
sugar cane. Of the latter, 1857 acres
are in fall plant, 49, acres in
spring plant, 1885 in first rattoons
and 233.5l in second rattoons. There
are eight resident tenants who Guilty ate
an aggregate of l046.90 acres of land.
The plantation forces under the d.
rection of Manager Leblanc and his
assistant cultivate 1884. 80 acres, and
the remainder of the place is COM
prised in tracts known as Farm No. Il
and Farm No. 2, managed by sepa-
rate salaried overseers,s each farm
having its own stables, mules, imple-
ments and working forces distinct
from those of the main plantation and
the tenants. Manager Leblanc, IS
statement is part of system of DEM
onstration and accounting devised
by Hon. Henry Mccall many years
ago and kept in careful and success
full use ever since. There is perhaps
no plantation in Louisiana where a
more complete and systematic method
OF recording operations and results is
employed than that in vogue at Evan
Hail.