St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1912-05-18
THE OVERFLOW: A VALU-
ABLE OPPORTUNITY
THAT SHOULD NOT
Be LOST.

WISH Jul pCOp1C, 0AlN WA1AA 15
distress and suffering, loss of
property and sometimes loss OF
life, Of which the present over
flowed condition Of some sections
of the State is a most impressive
example.
It is sometimes difficult, it not
impossible, to check the onward
rush of such a powerful element
as water when onceit gets beyond
its natural or artificial confines,
and all efforts seem poWerless to
prevent its spread and deyasta-
ton over wide areas Of rich
farming lands and stock ranges
contiguous to its course.
Many of our people will doubt
less, lose their crops and cattle,
either in part or in whole, unless
they have been able to move the
latter to a place Of safety, for
the time being, on the higher
grazing lands, or those beyond
the possibility Of inundation.
All things considered, the de-
struction and loss from the pre-
sent overflow is bound to be ex-
tremely heavy and blighting;
yet, what we need to take into
consideration, after the fight
with the high water is over, and
the latter has receded from the
lands, is the practicability OF
making the best of a bad job
by intelligently making use OF
the unfortunate conditions to our
advantage, in every way, so far
as that is possible.
In this connection, we desire
to draw the attention of our peo-
pie to one phase Of this present
calamity which may, if taken
due advantage of, prove of i'm
mense economic Importance to
the cattle interests of the State.
Most people are now more or
less familiar with the efforts at
present being made by the State,
through its Live Stock Sanitary
Board, in cooperation with the
federal department of agricul-
ture, to eradicate the Texas
fever cattle tick from Louisiana;
and they are, doubtless, also
familiar with the Importance of
freedom from these parasites to
our live stock husbandry. Also,
that this work has cost a con-
siderable sum of private, State
and federal money up to the pre-
sent time, and, under ordinary
conditions, will cost a further
large sum in order to success
fully complete it. II. however,
our people in the overfoWed sec
tons will only take full advan-
tage of existing conditions, in
this connection, a tremendous
step will have been taken to-
ward tick eradication, which
could not otherwise be done,
and a large saving effected, not
only to individuals, but in the
expenditure Of public funds.
And this is the main point we
desire to specially emphasize
here.
In the first place, it should be
borne in mind that the overfoWed
lands, after the water has dis
appeared from them, will be
practically free from cattle tick.
This will represent a large area
Of country, which, under ordi-
nary methods adopted in the
eradication work, would cost
probably thousands of dollars,
and years Of time, to accomplish.
In other words, the overflow
will have accomplished in one
season what it would take years,
and a vast amount of money, to
bring about.
In the second place, our object
should be to hold this inn
mense tick-free area and pre-
vent its becoming reinfected
with ticks when it is in condi-
ton to again place cattle upon it;
and which may very easily be
by the exercise Of a little
intelligent forethought and act
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