St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1910-01-08


from his letter, which was written after his
return home, his views coincide with those
frequently expressed in these columns edi-
torially, and we publish that part Of his let
ter, regretting that we have not space to
publish it in its entirety. The extensive
travel and observation of Mr.. Merry make
his remarks authoritative and valuable:
The question is, what can be done to
make Covington as busy as it is beautiful
EVERY MONTH IN THE YEAR ? To my mind,
you have, in the undeveloped lands at your
ness men have failed to appreciate. It is
true that large percentage of these lands
are not alluvial, but they readily respond to
every application Of fertilizer, and under in
telligent cultivation every forty acres will
support an average sized family. Possibly
this statement will be questioned by those
who have not thoroughly investigated the
subject; but from all appearances without
Analysing the soil, I feel warranted in say
ing that, with the exception Of the sand
ridge on which Covington is located, the
general character Of your soil is the same as
that about Hammond, your neighboring city,
only twenty miles distant.
Twenty-Five years ago no one at Ham,
MOI d had any thought that the country adj
jacent thereto would ever be devoted to ag-
riculture, furnishing. permanent revenue
for an enterprising city Of 5000 or more peo-
pie. The milk industry of Hammond dis
tributes monthly among the dairymen and
tradesmen of that community from $40, 900
to $4,000. For every car of strawberries
shipped from that station to Northern mar
kets there is return of $4,000 or more, and
during the season from one to five cars are
shipped daily. Every car of vegetables
during the early season shows returns of
$500 to $500 per car, and this production of
milk strawberries and vegetables is from
the same character Of soil as that of which
you have thousands of acres within three
miles of Covington. Not only have you the
same kind of soil as that about Hammond,
but you are commercially linked to the same
great railway system that furnishes the
farmers Of Tangipahoa parish the very best
transportation facilities direct to Chicago
and other markets North and West.
Il have to admit that my recent visit was
my first to Covington, but cannot
be wrong as to the undeveloped agricultural
resources of your immediate vicinity. Nor is
it possible that am wrong in my estimate
of the advantages to your city, when even
1000 acres OF your lands are converted into
tillers of the soil, who understand dairying,
poultry raising, strawberry growing and
vegetable gardening, no matter what their
nativity, who make citizens Of which any
community may be proud, and who will be-
come permanent patrons Of every tradesman
in Covington.'
After enumerating number Of advan-
tages possessed by Covington, Mr.. Merry
goes on to say that these advantages should
be presented in circular form and distribu-
ted throughout the country. He says: MY
office will send out five hundred of such cir
culars and we will not fail to mention in
our correspondence the agricultural posi-
bilities adjacent to Covington.
The town has on hand large number of
small booklets suited to this purpose which
could be utilized, and Mayor Richard will
take advantage of this kind offer
Nativity in itself offers no bar to the
settlement of tillers of the soil in this parish
All who will make honest, useful citizens
will be warmly welcomed and encouraged;
but there are elements recognized as OBJ
jectionable that can be distinguished without
We trust that upon future visit Mr..
Merry may address the citizens of Coving-
on upon the part the Illinois Central will
AXE in this development.