The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1914-07-18
FARM EDITORS SHOWN. >
Louisana's Garden Section Viewed
by Visiting Journalists-CordfaI
Reception Here Crowns Memor-
able Tour.


Reception Here Crowns Memor-
able Tour.
H. J. Seiferth, staff correspondent
Of the New Orleans Times1Picayune,
sent his paper the following account
of the visit of the farm editors to
Donaldsonville:
The national farm editorial party
arrived in New Orleans Sunday after
noon, after three weeks tour
through Louisiana, from the Gulf to
the Arkansas line, and from the Mis-
sissippi to the Sabine. They were
laVishly entertained everywhere, but
the journey was strenuous, for the
sleeping car often remained on a
side track during the night, and
many days sightseeing involved Or
dinarily over one hundred miles by
automobile riding. But Louisiana's
exhibit of dormant wealth compensat-
ed for the hardships, and the editors
are. in good health and spirits at the
end of their trip and positive that
they have looked upon the nations
food source and fortunes fairy-land.
The last two days in the sister par
ishes Of Iberville and Ascension con-
tanned pictures already familiar, but
concentrated nearly all the problems
and possibilities they encountered
throughout the state.
Saturday evenings ride showed
both parishes rich in good roads, and
the river highway smooth. 1t re-
vealed magnificent palaces and we'll
screened hotels. It glimpsed well
kept fields and long acres where the
fight had been given up. There
were many interesting sights, too.
Just beyond soniat's model estate
was Luke Babin's moss factory, the
largest in the state. To the rear
stood one of the fine high school
buildings now typical in Louisiana.
Whitecastle, another live town, re-
celVed a five minutes, stop. J. Stone
is show place. but there was no
pause tealsee ffiiaaes
horses he breeds. The Old Hickory
Company has three miles
front on the river, and one of the
'proprietors, Mr. Claiborne, narrated
how, some years ago, a Missouri col
onization offer was refused, because
of the accompanying necessity of di-
viding up the place. Now they were
willing to cut it up into fifty and
seventy-five acre farms, from $50 to
s75 an acre, and give northern farm
'ers fifteen years time in which to
pay.
Rice Crowds Out Cane.
Toll n
had surrendered to rice. There was
always some rice grown above Don
aEdsonville, and fine mill in the
town, but now the rice area has ta-
ken in many more thousands Of acres.
The crop iustifies the boast that the
section can grow the cereal best, for
the green fields are great. Part of
the old Miles plantation has adopted
the culture.
Close to Donaldsonville, with the
stately Evan Hall Manor as beacon,
the country is lovely, the paths well
paved and the air metropolitan. In
the town itself there was more life
than in almost any point = visited,
and the pretty public square be-
tween school and courthouse was fill
ed with children at play, while white
goWned matrons and maids listened
to the band. Mayor Walter Lemann
was at once in command, conducted
the guests to the new Elks Home,
"a structure of many comforts, and
then to the Hotel Donaldson, anoth
er handsome edifice, for another ban
quet.
The Donaldsonville, delegation dis
counted every hope, avoided rushing
the tired pilgrims, and supplied each
of the guests with cool room and
bath for the night, having previously
sent to the car for the editors
valises. The only entertainment fea-
t:ure Of the night was a moving pic
ture display of DonaldsonViIle scenes,
industries and enterprises. and the
hour in. the theatre was really en-
joyed.
The editors were again CLAIMED by
the Elks and given the use of the
club. There was also special dis
play of agricultural products from
the Oak Grove High school. which
was one of the first farm educational
institutions established in the state.
It's director, w. NJ. Babin, accom-
panied the exhibit and spoke en-
Enthusiastically of the work, and es-
pecia1ly of the school cannery. The
school holds the cup for corn judging
given by the L. S. U.
One of it's boys won prize for
a SOW he bought for SO, and after
year he still had his prize Duroc
and had sold s85 of her offspring
Another won a prize at Shreveport
for an eight-months-old pig. At four.
teen months the pig weighed 425
pounds. The boys Of Ascension will
be scHne farmers. There are $50 Of
them at the high school.
Confident OF Verdict.
The only speeches at night were
a word of wisdom by Alison secor,
and an assurance by the Times-Pie-
ayune that Louisiana has been tried
by a jury of her peers and could,
with confidence, await the verdict
Sunday was devoted to showing
the editors that the sugar planter
had arrived. His real problem was
ahe meeting of new conditions with
the system he had built up, especial
1y labor. The negro will not do for
.diVersffieation, and it is doubtful if
the planter could manage from two
to ten thousand acres with hired Ia
=bar from the mort b. So hn realized