New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1914-09-19

holds moisture well. but much OF
it needs fertilizing. 1t is def
rient in nitrogen. in some places,
but this is supplied by the
growth Of cowpeas. lespedeza
(also known as King grass, or
Jupan clover) and other native
grasses
These uplands should appeal
to the farmer of limited means.
l. =. nard to put price on the
land, but in a general way tracts
may be purchased on easy terms
at from $40 to 1876 an acre, ac-
ccrding to location and fertility.
In addition to the citrus fruits
and the semi-tropical cotton and
sugar cane, the usual crops of
the north and west may be grown
in the state.
Small fruits and vegetables are
grown with success. One parish
Louisiana is divided into parish
es instead of counties-that of
Tangipahoa, last spring market
ed 1000 acr loads of strawberries,
about 1000 crates to the car.
These berries, of course. reached
the northern market early
enough in the season to bring
fancy prices.
You can work in the fields
practically all the year round,
and from two to three crops may
ne grown on the same piece OF
land every season.
There are about twelve million
acres of upland in the state;
much of it is still covered with
timber.
The southern and southwestern
portions Of the state truly sur
prised us. The vast delta. lying
south and west Of New Orleans,
is probably the richest land in
the world-more fertile than the
famous valley Of the Nile. There
are nine million acres of marsh
land which up to a few years ago
was considered entirely worth
less. 1t is now being reclaimed
and developed.
Much Of the land is CAPABLE of
natural drainage, there being fall
enough TO convey the water by
means Of bitches and canals into
the bayous. Many of these 'ba-
yous are navigable for freight
carrying boats ana barges, and
form a cheSp ana convenient
method of transportation.
The artificial drainage Of the
marshlands is most interesting.
The projects are large and com
panies with considerable capital
are needed. Canals are dredged
and levees are thrown up all
around the tract to be drained.
Smaller canals are then cut at
convenient distances across the
tract, and these are intersected
by bitches. and these in turn by
smaller bitches.
A steam pump is installed and
the water is lifted from the en-
tire tract of land and left at a
Level of five feet below the sur
face. When more water is need
q the pump is stopped and in
this manner the supply is regu-
lated at will. The land is sub
ject to ordinary methods of cul-
tivation and yields a rapid sue
cession of crops.
The older settlers in this re-
cion built their houses around the
bayous with frontage not much
greater than ordinary city lots,
but running back in narrow
strips for a considerable dis
lance. On the west bank Of Ba
you Lafourche is an Acadian set.
tlement-they call them "Ca'
jins" in Louisiana-which is
probably the most densely popu
lated farming community in the
world.
These Acadians formely de-
voted themselves to the culture
Of sugar cane, but many Of then
now are copying the northern
farmers and diversifying their
crops with great success.
In some districts where the
and has been fully reclaimed by
rig land companies the farming
Is done in the most modern scien
tific manner and the yields art
tremendous. They can sow oat
IN October and pasture the field
all winter. Then they harves
the oats in the spring and plan