The Donaldsonville chief., 1922-12-30

What many people have predlcteo1
sometime ago would come to pass at
some future day in this section, mas
already been accomplished, or ratllel
plans for is accomplishment nave
been matured, in the Houma section
Of the state. That is the dividing up
of the big plantations into small
farms and the proposal to diversity
the crops. In an extended article ap-
bearing last Sunday in the Times-Plc-
ayune, written by A. W. Van Pelt'
staff representative, is .old the deter,
mination of inauguratlng new ana
modern farming methods IN that sec
ton. The article in part reads as
follows:
The beginning of the end Of huge
landholdings and gang labor opera
tions in the sugar belt Of Louisiana
is forecast in the closing Of con-
tract here today. The agreement IN
question calls for the subdivision and
sale in small and mediumsized farms
of several thousand acres of fertile
agricultural lands Immediately ad-
joining and surrounding Houma and
comprising the Honduras, Argyle,
Crescent, Mulberry and Ridgeland
sugar plantations. -.
Virtually all of these lands are in
cultivation and produced great crops
of cane and corn for many years.
They have been kept up to a high
state of agricultural development at
all times. The lands to be cultivated
are the property of the Peoples Sug-
ar Company. This is composed of a
group Of the commercial and profess
sional leaders of Terrebonne parish,
with Oscar C. Sundberry as president.
The other officials and members Of
the firm are: Wiley E. Thibodaux and
Charles J. Champagne, vice-presidents
Joseph A. Robichaux, secretary
treasurer; DR.. L. H. Jastremski, Jean
L. Caillouet, DR.. R. W. Collins, I. Le-
wald, R. J. Younger, H. A. Cook, L..
w. Gilbert, Henry Walther and A. R.
Niguerie.
These men are unanimous in the
opinion that the introduction of the
small farm community will vastly i'm
prove conditions in any section, in
comparison with the old system of
great land holdings by individuals or
corporations and gang system labor
in their operation.
The new development and the
breaking up of the five great plan
tations contemplated is, therefore, a
startling reversal of the common US
age in the sugar belt. In the past
the rule has been to constantly in
crease the size of the holdings-never
to diminish them.
Experience; however, has cast new
light on the situation. 1t has proven
that the small farmer has consistent
ly outclassed the great plantation op-
eratives in tonnage of cane per acre
as well as in economy of operation.
The small operator has prospered un-
der conditinos that proved difficult
for the great plantations. And in
those sections in which the popula-
ton was largely composed of small
farmers and their families the per-
centage of business and all-around
profit has been much greater than in
The large plantation sections.
Acting on this belief and with a |
thorough understanding of conditions,
he Peoples Sugar Company recently
lecided to cofphize its immense hold |
ngs and by the signing of the con-
;ract obtained the services of expert,
men for the work Of di-
'ecting immigration. C. H. Lyons, |
of Kansas City, Mo-, and A. |
3. Graves of New Orleans, will be in
,harge of this part of the great pro-
ect.
Mr.. Lyons for the last twenty years
as conducted immense colonization
projects in various parts of the West, |
he Middle West and the South from
in Kansas City, Chica-
20, Houston, Tex. and other cities Mr.. |
Graves has been located in New Or
cans for about fifteen yaers, during
which time he has successfully colon
zed thousands of acres of Louisiana
ands.
The main feature of interest to the |
armer or producer, marketing facili-
les, provide one Of the strongest at
ractions of all in the proposed plan
f colonization. Situated centrally
mong all of the lands in the project
) the modern sugar factory on the
4rgyle plantation. The Peoples
ugar Company will retain and oper-
te this mill, thus providing a con-
tant market for all sugar cane pro-
uced on the properties. 1t has been
roven that sugar mill operated in
ependently of planting operations