The star-progress. (Opelousas, La.) 1917-1921, 1921-04-20
FARM REPORTS ARE
THAT ST. LANDRY
CROP in BAD WAY
Heavy Rains And Winds
And Light Frost Play
Havoc. With Plants
MUST REPLANT MOST
OF COTTON ACREAGE
Corn of Large Size Is Badly
Bent, Making Cultiva-
ton Difficult

The two tremendous transforms and
high winds and one light frost of ten
day ago wrought havoc with the corn
and cotton crops of st. Landry, both
OF which were well advanced due in
great measure to the ideal season that
prevailed previous to the fierce antics
OF the clerk of the weather.
Reports that reach US indicate that
practically the entire cotton crop Of
the parish will have to be planted all
over again, the first planting having
been practically washed out. Just
few Of the overcautious farmers, how
ever, have nothing to complain Of for
they had not planted any cotton at
all, not having too much faith in tn
weather. They did not view with en-
Wy their neighbors who started in to
plant in the first half of March, but
contented themselves by waiting un.
til the old-time date of planting, which
is about the tenth Of April They still
have their planting seed and after all
are not furthere behind than their
neighbors who made a great rush to
get the seed in the ground while the
extraordinary weather was prevail
ing.
At any rate, the cotton crop of st.
Landry this year is due for big re-
duction in acreage-the weather
clerk has decreed that, and his opin-
ion in this vital matter went much
further than all the proffered advice
of the exchanges, boards and associa-
tions, and they certainly sent out
broadcast and wholesale wise counsel
to cut the acreage at any cost They
can now close down thoir advice bur-
eaus for the season for there will be
no further need of their free advice on
matters, if the well informed farmer
is to be believed, and he states that
it will be practically impossible to get
in large acreage this year, for every
one will have to take stock as to the
damage wrought and see if any part
of the corn crop will have to be plant
ed over, along with the cotton.
Corn, state some farmers-especial'
ly that which was planted in the early
part of February-is in a bad way,
having been blown and washed al
most entirely out of the ground. Some
of this early corn was more than
knee high and as there is so little
dirt left around the roots even the
suns rays will serve but little purpose
in raising it again to an erect posi-
ton. Some farmers have been for
ced to use hoe and go through theiI
| fields and straighten out the corr
stalk by stalk-a slow and tedious 1or
under any circumstances but absolute
ly necessary in order to save the
crop. Unless this is done, say the
wise farmers, future cultivation vii
he almost impracticable, and not tC
give the crop at least another plowini
means that the yield will be little
more than nubbins this fall. The fros
also had a hand in damage to tn'
corn. but the plants will recover iron
the bite of the unreasonable cold al
soon as the weather clears off ant
cultivation can get under way again.
The rice acreage is much smale
this season than last, owing to Tn
discouraging marketing condition
| and the difficulty of selling the larg'
amount still on hand from last year
production. The rice that was sow
quite early is doing finely, accordlni
to reports, and irrigation from. dee
wells. ETC., is already under way. In
heavy rains did not damage the ric
at all. but on the contrary helped tn
farmer in that it will make the opera'
ing of pumps unnecessary for som
time to come, thus reducing the 81
pense of making the crop. Some ric
is said to be about knee high, show
ing that it made a splendid growt
during the warm weather Of Marc
and the first few days of April.