New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1915-01-23
LOREAUVILLE. ONCE STRUG-
CLING REMOTE SECTION.
Is RICH AND MODEL.
By w. L, Grant.

1udt StCllOu VI IoCii ia a. A0Ai.
north of New Iberia. and border
ING on st. Martins. has received
scant public attention. probably
for the reason that until the late
F. M. Welch forced the building
of the New Iberia and Northern
! Railroad. a branch of the Frisco.
it was not in touch with the out
side world.
, During the last few years. this
section. the center of which is the
town of Loreauville. has been
coming to the front, and is now
one of the parish s best wards.
Once the section was planted
entirely in cane and cotton. The
boil weevil effectively did away
with cotton. some years ago, and
though the crop is again being
planted, the effect of the scourge
was beneficial, as was disastrous
weather on cane. 1t all taught
the farmer the value Of conserva-
ton and diversification.
He had raised corn and truck,
and an occasional hog or two, but
merely as a side issue.
Diversifcation is now the rule.
{ Nothing but selected grains are
planted; the hog and beef steer
have proved their money value,
and the family truck garden and
chicken lot aid in cutting down
grocery bills.
| SO prolific were the many truck
gardens that last year a cannery
was built to take. care Of the lap
idly growing surplus.
The officers are B. L. Mestaycr.
president: j. N. Vloeberghs, vice
president, and j. D. Rose, secre-
tary.
the cannery's first output was
small and sold instantly. The
coming spring and summer it
will have largely increased
acreage to draw from. and the
ontput will be more widely dis,
tributeG:a
"There is no earthly reason"
said Mr.. B. L. Mestayer, the 9TH
er day, "why a single can Of veg
etables should be shipped into our
Parish. There are three other
canneries in the parish. and /
hope to see the day when we will
not only supply the wants of
our own people, but those of the
entire state
Mr.. Mestayer. still in his twen-
ties is going somei
He is principal of the Loreau.
vile school. and two years ago
saw the need of agricultural re-
form in Southwest Louisiana.
He heard Of the agric ultural
school in Baton Rouge, and went!
On his return he started to
work on an idea. 1t was this:
Teaches Future
Farmers Right Way.
l. "There are 400 children in nv
fourth ward school. and while
Chambers of Commerce and
Truckers Associations are per-
suading the fathers. it's a cinch
to me to educate the children.
I'll organize corn. truck, poultry
and hog clubs. and we'll have
yearly exhibition.
The clubs were formed. girls
as well as boys entering. Methods
of preparation of the soil and
cultivation were taught the chill
dren in the school room and in
the field. All this was some time
ago.
On Dec. 19, 1913, the first ex-
hibition was held. The show was
given by the Loreauville agricul-
tmal school. as the clubs are
called jointly.
The spirit spread to the old
folks!
Mr.. Mestayer declared the
school will have an exhibit at the
Shreveport fair next year. and
enter in the various parish fairs
also. ~
Recent showing by our chill
dren does not ten the whole story
Of the Loreauwille section s
change says John D. Valet.
planter-merchant here. "Our
farmers no longer are one-crop
no longer contented to ship in
1900 mules from Kentucky. raise
one gallon milk cows. 000-pound
beef cattle. or razor back hogs.
1--WE imported q Kentucky Jack
and breeding to local mares have
raised splendid mules. averaging
1900 pounds and fifteen hands
high. We have recently made