The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1915-11-13
AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT
IN THE fELIc|ANA PARISHES
q. F. Collins in Modern Farming,


t In East and West Feliciana parishes
/. located to the southeastern mart n,
) Louisiana, contiguous to the south.
' western corner of Mississippi, agricul
lure has been at more or less of q
{ standstlll. Under the old system cot.
TON, and cotton only, was grown as the
money crop year after year. The
farmers were advanced money nv tho
merchants every year to pay the ex.
pehse OF raising the crops, and at the
harvest season practically all the cot
ION went to pay debts. The farmer
dio not worry about this, however, be-
cause he knew that he could borrow
money on next years crop and the
merchant knew he would get his money
when the crop was harvested.
one OF the chief troubles under this
system was that very few ATTEMPTED
10 give anything back to the soil and
only fortified little, and then only
with commercial fertilizers which thew
knew nothing about and which often
did little good.
But with the boil weeyil came hard
times. The merchant refused credit
ana the farmer found that he must
depend upon his soil to raise the aetna,
necessities of life which he had before
bought from the country store on credit
trucking was attempted in both East
and West Feliciana parishes, but owing
TO inexperience and lack of proper
market returns, most of the farmers
VINO Tried truck raising did not succeed.
Al norwood, though, in the northern
part OF East Feliciana, where there Ia
4 very extensive canning plant, truck
has been successfully follow
I'd, and during the past several seasons
Quite quantity of vegetables have
'een shipped in carload lote from St
FranclsVille and Bayou Sara, In West
Fellclana parish.
In the southern portion of East Fe.
lciana and in the greater portion of
vest Fellciana, cattle have been found
De profitable, and many went into
ne cattle business, notable among
nese being number Of big New Or.
cans merchants who have invested
eavlly in the undertakings. Along
ne Y. & M. V. railroad, in East Fee
clana, and on the Woodville branch
the same railway, dairynig was soon
'tabllshed on profitable basis after
lie farmers found they could no longer
use cotton, and now large quantities
whole milk are being shipped daily
New Orleans milk distributing con-
rms. With dairying has come many
los, as well as an entry in hog raising.
ID IN general a more intelligent
rming.
There are now a number of pood
'lrles IN these parishes and with this
ange from one-crop system. which
Id OIL only once year, came a
Verslty OF crops and a produce which
n be depended upon to yield an in
me at all times of the year; also a
8erlng OF the fertilizer bill by the use
large supplies Of barnyard manure.
lille at first the presence of good
Try COWS in these parishes was a
'lty, as time goes on the quality has
en- improved most noticeably by the
reduction of better cows, the weed
out OF the unfit ones and the head.
or herds with first-class bulls. Most
the dairymen prefer Holstein bulls
number of good registered bulls
'e been brought in during the past
eral years.
iolng hand in hand with live stock
the growing Of hay, and of recent
rs many Feliciana farmers have
cred into the lespedeza industry.
n for hay and seed, and as a whole
e found it profitable, though prices
asst years seed were discouragingly
color. Oats has been found a splen.
winter pasturing crop, as well as
lunerative for grain production, and
lespedeza, corn, cow peas and
yer, the beef and pork production
ne two Feliciana parishes ought to
ance rapidly.
ne principal drawback encountered
i've stock raising in this part of
lslana, outside of restricted capital
'ush forward such development as
as 1t deserves to be carried, is the
ance OF available markets. At pres
the nearest market is Fort Worth.
en- divides with the National Stock
Us at East st. Louis, In receipt of
stock shipments from the Felic.
$. With the present rapid increase
I'VE stock in all Louisiana, as well
n Mississippi, the Felicianas can
counted upon to furnish their por-
Soon packing house will be a
'sslty In Louisiana, and it is hoped
the nroiactad nlap+ +or,,s -