The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1917-12-29
WASTE LANDS SHOULD
PRODUCE LIVE STOCK
AliuvIal LAnds In Pasture Carry Near
ly Two Head OF Cattle ger Acre Nine
Montes In Year-Cut Over Fine
lanaa, eroper'y Fenced and Improv-
ID. A.so Aao Valuable PasturesA

Statistics show that ealy about Is
per cent Of the lands In Louisiana are
In cultivation; the remaining 50 per
cent includes abandoned farm lands.
timber lands, the cut-over pine bell,
a considerable area Of swamp land
along the rivers. and large strip of
marsh land along the coast
Even In the better cultivated sec
land which Is not cultivated every
year. and when these lie in the alll.
vial plains or smaller river valleys
they are almost invariably clothed in
a wonderful sod of Bermuda grass
and white clover, with smaller tracts
Of lespedeza. Johnson grass and many
other useful forage crops intimately
mixed with liberal growth OF weeds,
briars and underbrush. It is also ap-
parent to anyone that from early
spring to late fall the great bulk of
this pasturage goes almost entirely to
waste because OF the lack Of suffc ient
cattle or other animals to Craze It OF |
in a way to return profit to the own /
er. The cut-over pine lands and hill |
sections Of the state are generally COW ,
cred with natural growth OF the
sedge grasses, some of the wild le-
gunes and varying amount Of IN
derbrush. which increases as one goes
toward the northern part of the state
II would be almost impossible to est.
mate the amount of natural wealth
which Is wasted In not properly utii
King these spontaneous growths for
i've stock production, as there IL un
enough Of 1t to maintain
many hundreds of thousands OF cattle
and sheep II properly used.
While no accurate data ia available
hat would show the carrying capacity
Il all classes Of pasturage. 1t is Ger
sin that the better pastures in the
iluvial section Of the state have q
ARRIVING capacity far In excess Of tilt
ordinary estimates Of average land IL
southern states. One pasture OF cGn
ores. consisting of heavy black !enG
cd with Bermuda ard white clover
as carried nearly two head OF cattle
0 the acre for nine or ten months
t the years 1915 and 1916. The only
astures which one sees grazed down
0 where they are really in the best
are the small plats about
arms and premises where the mules
nd family milk cows have free access
) comparatively small areas.
The carrying capacity Of the cut
yer pine and hill lands are, Of
curse. not nearly so great. 1t is
erhaps safe to say, however, that the
oorest OF our pine hills and fats will
AIRY one mature animal for every five
cres without improvement, though 1t
not recommended that they be used
this way, as all Of them can be
'eauy improved for pasture purposes
7 a small expenditure for seeding
it'll lespedeza, white and burr clover.
ermuda and paspalum grasses. It Is
lite probable that for at least a gen.
alton to come these pine lands are
'ing to be more useful for stock rails
e on an extensive basis than for
" other purpose, and when they
we served their purpose in this d.
rtion they will be more productive
Non cut up into small farms, as they
, doubt will be In due course of
e.
70 Loo: at the question more from
+ standpoint Of the individual farm,
{ usual survey will convince anyone
4 the average farmer Of Louisiana
rs or controls much more land than
util'zes for any practical purposes
ar after year. These waste lands,
Morally speaking. could be made to
y part Of the expenses Of the farm
they were properly fenced and con-
rted into pasturage for the grazing
live stock.-G. e. Nesom. Live Stock
tension Service, Louisiana State
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