New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1914-08-01

ShlftleSS negro tenants and often
more shiftless whites. must be cut
ICp and farmed more lntenslvely
and more intelligently.
When the sugar blow came
thousands Of the big planters de
termined they could not grow
cane at a profit with their labor
equipment, although other plant
ers are going ahead, improving
their methods of cane culture and
lettering their sugar factories
for more economic production o.
the staple.
From other directions, too. is
the call for progressive farmers
being sent forth. From the rec
lamation projects of the coast
country, where many thousands
of acres Of marsh Lands are being
uncovered by systems of canals
and great pumping plants, comes
the Invitation. No r:aE knows
the depth Of the soil nor the
richness Of the fertility.
Thus has a State found It's need
for more and better farmers.
There is no reflection to be EN-
tered against the big planters, as
most of them ARE wonderful man
ayers. They fell heir to the
baronial system of flaming and
they have stuck to it until
changed conditions of agriculture
necessitate a reversal.
A thousand, or two, three or
five thousand acres of cane or
cotton under the management OF
one planter, with dis expensive
and inadequate system of tenant
Or wage workers, will spell IA diff
ferant end when the same tracts
are placed in the bands of enough
owners who do a part OF their
own work to handle the land in
intense manner.
it j. difficult to explain why d
State has such need for good
farmers and at the same time put
forth the claim that Louisiana is
a State of some of the richest soil
in the nation, that its climate is
ideal for agriculture. that much
of the prevalent impression in the
North regarding the State is
false.
These are the facts as the writ
er views the situation after three
weeks spent visiting every sec
ton Of the State Louisiana long
has appreciated the fact that the
true conditions within her Dor
ders are widely misunderstood
and a number Of Northern agr
cultural editors Of the North |
were asked TO visit the Common
Y ealth and "be shown" !
In the first place climatic con
ditiOns are misundeI stOd. | saw
Of good health every.
where From the cut-over lands |
east of the river, where great |
strides are being made In truck
and genera, farming and IN dairy |
ing, through the reclamation dis
tricts, along the romantic bayous,
I'D into the cane, cotton and rice
districts. through the country OF
the western ard northern parts
IF State | saw bfight-eyed, heal
ny men, women and children.
/ spent days on the bayous,
annals rivers and lakes and saw
wo aIIigators. heard of one case
# fever. / bad luncheon under
.ome enormor.s live oaks along
he Teche, and did not see a fly.
i Mosquitoes bothered NE one night
,nIy and they were blown off the
marsh lands by unexpected WINGS
rom that direction. The heat
vas not so oppressive as | have
experienced IN many
'tates further from the Gulf,
nd there always was re1ef where
hade or breeze was taken adj
antage of. despite the fact that
reports Indicated
une records for heat were brok-
n in Louisiana during my visit.
| hardly could turn around III
ny district IN the State wlthoaf ,
into some farmer from
he North. and all are doing well ,
nd are satisfied. They have car
led their knowledge of Northern
into the South ana, ,
oupled with Louisiana condi-
ons, are forging ahead rapidly. !
ouisiana is a State of emporium .
y.
Why, then, is the natural ques-l !