THE ST. LANDRY DEMOCRAT.
E. P, GOODWIN, Eiitoî and Pnblisher.
Opelousas,
- Louisiana.
The Immense Sugar Industry of Loui
siana.
Tlie Cincinnati Times-Star publishes a
letter from ex-Governor Warmoth to Sen
ator Farwell, in which Le expresses him
self as follows : "We have one hundred
millions of dollars' worth of machinery
in our sugar houses of Louisiana, without
counting what is invested in Florida and
Texas. We buy all our meat, bread
three fifths of the feed for our animals,
all our mules, wagons, agricultural imple
ments, a large part of our fertilizers, coop
erage, and over one million dollars' worth
of coal annually from the Northern State»'
* * * Ten years ago, 1500 lbs.
3° f su £ ar P e r acre was an average yield ;
this has been increased to an average of
2000 lbs., and our best places, with best
machinery, get as much as 4000 lbs. per
acre. To attain these results we have
labored diligently, and spent large sums
of money in investigation and experimen
tation. It would astound you to see our
junk piles around our sugar houses ; tons
and tons of discarded machinery which
had been thrown out to give place to new
and improved machinery. Four hundred
thousand people are engaged directlv or
indirectly in this enterprise in one State
alone."— South Illustrated.
Selecting Their Homes.
The first thing that a home seeker in
Louisiana from the Nortwest, after his
arrival, is presumably, to seek his future
home, unless provision has been made for
that before leaving his former place of
residence. He goes about "prospecting"
(to use an expressive Americanism) and
finally, when satisfied as to price, locality,
social and hygenic conditions, etc., estab
lishes himself on the land he has bought,
and sets up the new fireside, of himself
and family. This is what has been done
by the party who came to Louisiana a few
weeks ago in charge of agents of the
State Immigration Association. Land
owners in Louisiana should remember that
these new comers are in the main, hard
working farmers, who come to this State,
not as speculators or investors, but as
industrious men, who hope by thrift and
perseverance, to make a livelihood for
themselves and their families. When
land owners are approached, therefore,
on ths subject of selling land to these peo
ple, they should meet their propositions in
a spirit of fairness and moderation, and
not deter them, perhaps, to the injury of
the cause of immigration, by asking too
high prices.— South Illustrated.
Do Locomotives Cause Storms?
A correspondent of the Northwestern
Railroader advances a curious theory for
the increasing prevalence of Hoods and
rainstorms. He says that there are over
30,000 locomotives in use in North Amer
ica, and estimates that from them alone
over 53,000,000,000 cubic yards of vapor
are sent into the atmosphere every week,
to be returned in the form of rain, or over
7,000,000,000 cubic yards a day—"quite
enough." he says, "to produce a good rain
fall every 24 hours." Estimating the
number of other non-conden3ing engines
in use as eight times the number of loco
motives, the total vapor thus sent into the
air every week in this countrv amounts to
more than 470,000,000,000 cubic yards.
"Is this not," he asks, "sufficient for the
floods of terror ?" Is there any reason to
wonder why our storms are so damaging ?
If the above be true, it would be wise
on the part of the present Texas legisla
ture to pass a law encouraging the build
ing of new lines in the drouth stricken
districts of thafr* great State.
Sheep Husbandry.
It was an unfortunate day for the aver
age American farmer, when the sheep in
dustry declined.
A few sheep on every farm are such
economizers of food and bring such a con
stant annual revenue to the home.
The time came, a time when South
Americk and Australia could
«ade'*
I much lo
lî/ace wool
our average farmer
that competition was almost useless and
gradually the sheep were sold from the
farm or exchanged for cattle. Other lines
of agriculture became more profitable.
This condition may continue for many
years in the North, but we see no reason
why it should apply to Louisiana. Sheep
are perfectly healthy here and can be kept
and bred successfully without care other
than shearing. Mutton brings a good price
and is in great demand in our local mar
kets. As compared with Australia and
South America the price of mutton alone
decides the question in favor of Louisiana,
and decides it so completely that there is
no room for arguments. Let us enumer
ate some of the points in favor of sheep
husbandry in Louisiana.
1. The native grasses are always green
enough to support sheep, and few sheep
in the State have ever received much else.
2. The Albuminous plants, so profitable
for feeding sheep, are exactly adapted to
to our soil and climate. A little cow-pea
hay during the winter would be of great
value in the production of wool, and cow
peas are almost a natural product of our
farms.
3. The turnip has long been regarded
as essential to the sheep industry. Tur
nips are grown in Louisiana without care.
Fold the sheep at night during the sum
mer on a small piece of ground ; in Sep
tember plow, harrow and sow this to
turnips. As many as 1000 bushels per"
acre are frequently produced without any
cultivation.
4. Sheep are* perfectly healthy and
amazingly prolific. Wool and mutton are
worth as «auch here as in any portion of
the United States, unless very near some
of the Atlantic cities.
5. Large tracts of the best sheep lands
can be purchased at less than three dol
lars per acre.
With a delightful climate, and with the
possibilities of producing fruits and nuts,
it appears to us that the sheep industry
most soon become one of importance.
The paying off of the hands engaged in
the cotton, sugar and rice fields for the
past few months in our State has put a
good deal of money in circulation in the
parishes, and the merchants in various
lines have profited accordingly.
Prosperity of the Cotton Trade.
The year 1888 was one of the most pros
perous years the cotton trade of the world
has ever experienced. Cotton manufactur
ing centers everywhere report handsome
profits on the results of the year's business,
and in spite of the fact that the shipments
have been unprecedentedly heavy, consum
ers are reported to be short of supplies,
and mills everywhere are crowded with
orders.
In England the revival in the manufac
ture of cotton goods has been most pro
nounced, and the comparison with recent
seasons is absolutely startling. Profits
have been larger than for any year in the
past decade, and the year closed with
stocks depleted, and with orders abreast
for several months.
American cotton mills have been hardly
less fortunate than those on the other side
of the Atlantic. All the New England
mills earned large profits, and Southern
mills without exception did handsomely.
Of the Northern mills the Pepperill paid
14 per cent, the D wight 10 per cent, the
Pacific 10 per cent, the Lawrence 10 per
cent, the Amoskeag 10 per cent, the Man
chester 12£ per cent, the Nashua 10 per
cent, the Low 9 per cent, the American
Linen 22 J per cent, the Browne 16 per cent,
the Fall River 12 per cent, and others of
less note from 10 to 22 per cent.
If these Northern mills have found the
business lucrative, how much more profit
able should Southern mills be considered
that are placed directly in the cotton fields
with the staple growing at their very door.
This must necessarily put them in posses
sion of their raw material much cheaper
than the Northern mills.
As a matter of fact the South has already
successfully competed with the Eastern
mills in manufacturing coarse fabrics, and
considerable exporting has been done. In
this connection the following, which is an
extract from a letter published in the Bal
timore Manufacturers' Record, wiil be in
teresting :
"The mills of the Southern States possess
a decided advantage over the mills in the
North and Great Britain, in that they have
the raw cotton at their doors, and that this
alone represents a money value sufficient
to give them control of the coarse goods
has been fully demonstrated within the
last ten years. This difference can be
more clearly shown by the following illus
tration : Let us assume a 40,000 spindle
mill located at any well-selected site in the
cotton growing section of the Southern
States. This mill, properly equipped with
the latest and most approved style of ma
chinery for the manufacture of standard
4-4 sheetings to Nos. 12 to 14 yarns, would
cost complete $800,000, and would con
sume 20,000 bales of cotton per annum. It
is variously estimated that the difference
in cost of a bale of cotton (490 pounds) be
tween the mills in Augusta, Ga., and Fall
River, Mass., is from $4 to $6 per bale.
Assume the lowest estimate of $4 per bale,
and you have 20,000x$4 equals $80,000 in
favor of the Augusta mill, or a saving of
10 per cent on the complete cost of the
mill in cotton alone."
Southern mills have made great strides
during recent years and are annually ab
sorbing a large amount of raw material.
New mills are going up in all directions,
and the day is not far distant when this
section of the country will be as noted for
its manufactured cotton goods as it now is
as the home of the raw material.—N. 0.
Picayune,
Resolutions Passed by the State Agri
cultural Society.
The following resolutions were adopted
by the State Agricultural Society at its
meeting in Monroe on Jan. 12, 1889.
Resolved, That our Senators and Rep
resentatives in Congress be requested to
use all efforts in their power to advance
the Commissioner of Agriculture to a cab
inet position.
Resolved, That the especial thanks, r if
this convention be tendered Commi; Vioner
Colman for the great interest he has taken
in the industries of Louisiana, and to
whom they owe much of their present
development ; and the Department be
requested to continue its investigations in
the production of sugar from sorghum.
Resolved, That the Louisiana Bureau
of Agriculture has our hearty thanks for
the earnest interest it has taken in the
development of our agriculture, and
especially in the organization and devel
opment of our several experimental
stations.
Resolved, That we congratulate the
farmers of this State upon their rapid
organization into local societies*,,
advancement of agr^ffi^é'/and that all
such societies be r iftgquested ' t0 send de]
gates to our meet* 1
Resolved,
a
it
Tb« mgs -
^-■-x i "tth e farmers of Louisi
<\.ua invite immigration into this State of
intelligent men and women from all other
States, and that they shall find here a
cordial welcome, hearty co-operation, fer
tile lands and pleasant homes.
Resolved, That we hail with satisfac
tion the large immigration of strong, pros
perous farmers into Southern Louisiana
from the Northwest, and into North Loui
siana from Alabama and Georgia.
..c-vp
Immigration.
The talented editor, A. J. Lafarque, of
the Marksville Bulletin, says : " Immi
gration means prosperity ; it means the
development of our resources ; it means
the cultivation of our wild lands, and the
inhabitation of our waste places. Capital
will follow immigration, and where to-day
stagnation in business reigns eight months
in the year, business activity, push and
thrift will be seen the entire year. Immi
gration is the only salvation for this coun
try. Louisiana is prospering to-day ; the
chief agents of her upward strides are
those intelligent, industrious, wide-awake
sons of the North and W r est, and foreign
lands who have come among us to help
us make Louisiana the favored spot of
the American Union.
The traveler in the great West must be
impressed with the uniformity of the land
scape. Almost as flat as Holland, the vast
prairie seems as endless as sea or sky, and
the eye of the immigrant is delighted with
the luxurious crops which indicate a rich
soiL He forgets that all this beauty is
located at a long distance from the great
distributing centers of trade, and that
transportation over long line3 of roads
must be paid for before it reaches a mar
ket.
But in Louisiana nature has kindly fur
nished waterways to market through the
numerous rivers and bay#us which form a
network all over the State and intersect
ach parish.
With the great Mississippi and its tribu
taries running the whole length of the
State, and the Gulf of Mexico forming the
Southern boundary, our people can never
be subject to imposition from the monopoly
of transportation companies.
The alluvial parishes are East Carroll,
Madison, Tensas, Concordia, Avoyelles,
Among the sugar yields of Lafourche
plantations may be mentioned that of E.
J. Gay's "Acadia" m plantation, which
amounted to 1,110,000 pounds.
English Immigrants.
Mr. James Maund, living in tfie eastern
part of Calcasieu parish, has been writing
letters to the agricultural districts of Eng
land, pertaining to Louisiana.
Several years ago a number of immi
grants from England settled in the parish
of East Feliciana and began farming oper
ations. Since then every year brings
recruits to their number, and they were
represented last year as being the most
thriving farmers in the parish. Some of
them had started with very little capital
and purchased lands on credit that were
considered by some as worn out. They
have paid for their lands and are making
money, raising principally cotton. Below
we give one of Mr. Maund's letters to the
Hereford Times:
As I see by various reports in your valu
able paper, that the Herefordshire farmers
are still suffering from the great depres
sion that has so long existed in agricul
tural pursuits, I cannot resist the tempt a
tion to call attention to the many advan
tages offered here to all who are disposed
to emigrate. In the first place, I would
strongly urge the farmers not to try any
of the Northern States. When I first
came out I went to the North, but found
the cold so severe there—the thermometer
often going many degrees below zero—
that it was quite useless for me to think of
doing any good there at farming. I was
induced to come to Louisiana, where, I am
pleased to state, I found a very different
climate, having spent four winters here
without seeing ice much thicker than a
pane of glass. It is a mild and equable
climate, and the land cheap and fertile.
There is some land yet open to settlement
under the homestead laws of the United
States at £0 for 160 acres ; other lands can
be bought at £1 per acre, with ample
time for payment, if required, at which
price there are thousands of acres in this
immediate vicinity and far superior in
fertility to many parts of your country.
The lands will grow an almost tndless
variety of croDS, as maize, rice, cot
ton, sugar cane, tobacco, etc., also all
kinds of vegetables and fruit, including
oranges, in sheltered situations. It is a
good section for raising live s^' Jx, as
stock will live on these prairie|| 1(r e year
round, without care or Mtf-' ' We are
within easy reach ofjjfii j l PRS, a town
of 250,000 inhabitants^, j i pjaere is a
good market for all fap ; I Pice, with a.
good demand for fru/J^ ] ^vegetables.
There is in New Orleans a State immigra
tion office, where information is cheerfully
given to all newcomers respecting the
most desirable locations to settle, and also
the best way or mode of traveling. Here
the new settler can have his choice either
of prairie, timber land or the rich lands of
the Teche, where crops have been grown
for upwards of a century without needing
fertilizing. The great forests of pine and
other timber that abounds in this State
makes lumber for building and fencing
I am certain there are many struggling
farmers in your county who could here
build up comfortable homes, surrounded
by their own land, and soon obtain a posi
tion which will never be possible in the
old country. Mechanics, especially car
penters, are in good demand, and would
do well here. What I would suggest is
that a few farmers would join together
and send one or more out here and see the
country. They could then form a colony
to themselves and assist each other to
build up the same. There is a kind of
dread with many people at the thought of
crossing the ocean, but the comforts and
facilities given now by the great steam
ship companies render the voyage quite a
pleasure trip. The cheapest way is to
take the steamer direct from Liverpool to
New Orleans, otherwise by steamer to
New York, thence by rail *o New Orleans.
If any one who contemplates coming
over will write to me, I shall be plîased to
give all the information in my power from
information gained on the spot.
James S. Maund.
Jenningr, Cilcasieu Parish, la., U. S. A
Cane Growing in the Prairie Parishes.
In the Jennings Reporter of the 24th of
January, may be found the proceedings of
a meeting of the citizens in the interest of
cane growing in Calcasieu. This is a move
that should be encouraged Not that we
need an experimental farm to prove that
cane growing is a success here. This is
an established fact ; but to grow it because
it is one of the
" ' llùu proiitaoie crops we
can
this are glad
dm' ° ,. ,,
see the Reporter coming out editorially on
this subject, as it needs to be more thor
oughly discussed and brought before the
minds of the people. It has been thought
by some that cane cannot be grown suc
cessfully in the prairie region. On this
subject we give an article from that reliable
Sugar-Bowl aud Farm Journal. It says :
It is a fact not generally known that in
years gone by the most prosperous sugar
planters of Attakapas were those located
on the prairie lands, back from the wa'er
courses, and employed horse mills and the
open kettle system of evaporation. While
this prairie sugar always had an objection
able grayish tint, yet it sold fairly well,
and the economical method of manufacture
(mostly by the labor of the planter's im
mediate family) left a good profit. Now,
however, since improved evaporators are
coming into pre'ty general use, the color
of prairie sugar is easily overcome, and we
believe the time is near at hand when
thousands of acres of our rich prairie
lands, now devoted principally to cotton
and other crops, will become green with
can"}.
can"}.
Hitherto the difficulty of obtaining fuel
has prevented a more general cultivation
of our prairie lands in cane. Now we have
two reasons for expecting a great change
in this respect ; first, because begasse
promises soon to furnish the bulk of the
fuel required for evaporation, and secondly,
beause the extention of railroads through
the country will enable the delivery of fuel
almost as cheaply in the interior as on the
rivers. As an instance, a Lafayette gen
tleman lately told us it would pay to put
up sugar works at Scott Station, to accom
modate the numerous small planters who
wanted to grow cane, since wood could
be delivered there at $3 per cord. This
being the case, we do not know of a better
field for capital than to establish central
sugar factories on our prairies. Who will
start the enterprise?
Some have gotten hold of the idea that
it was abandoned because it could not be
successfully grown. When we are con
stantly shown specimens of cane grown in
the prairie and timber regions of Calcasieu
equal to any grown on what is termed
sugar lands on the Teche and other bayous,
Tie are forced to hunt about for other
causes as to why cane has not been culti
vated on the prairies. The Sugar-Bowl
gives one reason for the abandonment on
the prairies—lack of fuel—to which we
will add another, namely, hauling to ship
ping points. If any one will take the
trouble to visit the sugar estates in the
prairies six or eight miles out from the
Teche, they will soon be convinced of the
great difficulty of hauling sugar even that
distance. Both of these hindrances may
now be easily overcome. In the diffusion
process, with the necessary roller machin
ery added, bagasse will supply the greater
part of the fuel necessary, and the use of
tramroads, together with good dirt roads,
will overcome the matter of transportation
to shipping points. From our knowledge
of the cultivation of cane and the soil of
the prairies of Calcasieu, we believe we
have superior advantages in its cultivation.
Our soil must be thoroughly drained,
like all other sugar lands ; no more. In
fact, we believe we can get along with
one-third less drainage than many other
sections. We will have no expense of
steam drainage as in many places on the
rivers and bayous. Besides, the prairie
lands have sufficient ssnd to admit the
water to seep through and clear itself from
the surface, thereby giving protection to
the stubble. It will be remembered by
many that the stubble cane on the Teche
and many other places on the coast was al
most a failure in the spring of 1881. It
was believed at first that the severe cold
winter had frozen the stubble, but careful
observers came to the conclusion it was
caused by water standing too much on the
surface, which caused the stubble to rot.
They had good reasons for coming to this
conclusion. The rows of cane nearest the
ditches, where they were thoroughly
drained, sprouted their stubble well ; but
the rows midway between the ditches,
where drainage was imperfect, scarcely
had any stubble sprouts. These lands had
their surface drains leading crosswise from
ditch to ditch, for the purpose of carrying
off the surface water. Still, the soil is of
such a nature as not to admit thorough
drainage in times of continued wet weather.
We have a soil in our prairie lands with
just about a sufficiency of sand to admit of
free surface drainage, and this is some
thing very necessary in the successful cul
tivation of cane. We have other advan
tages over the sticky or waxy lands. We
can have better roads. Our dirt roads,
when well thrown up in the center, are
far better than the turnpike in some sec
tions. After a rain they dry off quickly,
and in drying they are entirely free from
that sticky nature that is so much dreaded
in some sections. With the diffusion pro
cess a success (and it is now assured) it is
only a question of time when the great
prairie region of Southwest Louisiana will
be one vast sugar region.
The North and South Louisiana Farm
ers jn Convention.
exposition of what the state can do
and what she should do.
Special to the New Orleans Picayune.
Calhoun Experiment Station , Jan.
24tli.— At the Dight session of yesterday
Captain H. P. Wells delivered an addr. S3
on leaks in farming before the c inven
tion. He made some capital hints on the
shortcomings of the farmers, including
those of not loving the profession and
therefore inattention to the farm.
He was followed by T, J. Guice, State
lecturer of the Farmers' Union and State
Alliance. His address covered many
points, bat one was considered unusually
significant as it referred to the opening up
of a means of manufacturing the great
staple of the South at home, to wit :
Cotton, by taxing each bale raised $1 to
build cotton mills in the cotton center of
the South. A half million of dollars
could be raised in this State next season
and in two years the amount would man
ufacture all < ur citton goods. This is
considered a big subject and worthy of
discussion and consideration.
At 9 o'clock this morning a special
train reached here from Monroe Avith the
members of the agricultural con
vention who wera to hold to day's
meeting at this point and enjoy a barbe
cue prepared by the North Louisiana Ag
ricultural Society. On reaching thelarm
which is fourteen miles west of Monroe,
the crowd was met by Mr. Calhoun, sup
erintendtnt of the farm, who explained
that he had experimented in 25 acres,
which included a total of 250 experi
ments, consisting of 31 viirip<ia^—o
ton, 15 in corn.-11
oi field peas, 40 of
grasses, 3 of peanut an 1 200
, estg - n f er til 1Z 3rt ; and m orchard
growths 50 varieties of apples, 58 varie
ties of grapes. 25 ofpeacbes, 12 of apri
cots, 12 of quinces, 10 figs, 12 of persim
mons, 28 of plums, 40 of pears, 3 of al
monds, 3 of chestnuts, 25 ot strawberries,
and 1 of filberts,also 10 breeds of chickens
and 1 pair of Holstein and Jersey cattle
There are 150 acres under fence with a
two story dwelliug house, laboratory,
barn, stable and tool and wagon housA
All this has been put in operation since
last June.
Mr. C'alhoun will use 60 acres next
season in expriment, including all the
above varieties and many more.
At midday Mr White, president of the
North Louisiana Agricultural S< c ety
called the assembly together in the loft
of the barn and requested Rev T. J
Humble to op^n the proceedings with
prayer.
W. F. Millsaps delivered an address
of welcome and said there should be uni
ty between North and South Louisiana
farmers. He, as a hill man, favored the
pr otection of the sugar industry
At the conclusion of Mr. Millsaps' ad
dress President Brent took charge Of the
meeting and introduced Major F. L Max
well, of Madison parish, who read a vety
flae essay, on tue smaller industries nec
essary to develop agriculture in Louisi
ana. * He planted 120 acre} last season in
Irish po'atoes, making over 100 bushels
to the acre, yie ding him a clear profit of
$75 per acre, and then planted other
crops on the same land after the potatoes
were harvested. He a 1 so planted cabbages
on an extensive scale and m^de money
on them He brought a very fine sample
here to show his success and hoped to
encourage the people to follow a like
course
course
He pronounced the raising of cabbage
more profitable than cotton as it will
yield from $200 to $500 per acie. He
wou!d not discontinue cotton, but advises
to cut the cop off 2,000,0C0 ba'ts and
make the crop yield as much money as it
now yieids, and raise at home something
for home use. He says he can grow bay
here as fine and as much as in Kentucky,
Illinois, and Indiana. He urged the
planter j to discontinue buying Kentyikp
mules and sending money away from
home. He insists that hogs can be raised
cheaper here than in the northwest.
Major Maxwell answered many pr. cti
cal inquiries about his manner of plant
ing harvesting and shipping;
At 1 o'clock an adjournment was had
to the birbecup, where several hundred
people found all they could eat. The
South Louisiana delegation wishes to ex
press their appreciations through these
c >me extended them by these farmers.
Alter dioner Mr. John Dymond read a
fine article on sugar and give the facts
with reference to beet sugar and sor
ghum.
Prof Stubbs supplimented the discus
sion of sorghum by saying all the State
in a few years would be shipping sorghum
to a central diffusion mill.
Mr. M Mithoff read a scientific article
on orange culture in Louisiana.
The excursion train returned to Mon
roe for a night session.
H. H. Hargrove.
r . _ _
telegrams of the kindly and ct rdial wel
a .m» avfûnHaH tV»*vm "he- thp «?p fnrmprs
Who Should Come to Louisiana.
thousands of persons are making up
their minds to settle at an early
day in louisiana.
It is a settled question that people can
do well here, and far beyond their ex
pectations, provided they have means to
start in business and the requisite capacity
to conduct it. We fear too many are
coming who have barely sufficient means
to reach their destination, depending for
their future work to be obtained of
strangers. This is not wise. Occasionally
such a person will be successful and more
lhan realize all his expectations ; but this
is not the rule. If a man has means, he
can afford to wait till he can find or make
a business ; not so with the man who
must win his bread and butter every day
or go hungry. He may succeed and he
may not. As a rule, a new country is a
poor place for day labor.
W hat is needed is the man who has
capital to start some enterprise that can.
give employment to labor. It may be
some simple industry and require but a
small investment, or it may be the exten
sive factory ; there is room for it. W
enumerate a few lines of industry in
which there would be success, if capital
and intelligence were comb'ned.
1. The growing of broom corn and the
manufacture of brooms.
2. The production of poultry and eggs
—fifty families could engage in this profit
ably.
3. The manufacture of soap. This does
not require large capital at first, as all the
materials are here and can be purchased
cheaply. We understand that the ashes
of hard pine will answer. If so, thousands
of wagon loads can be had for nothing.
4. The manufactura of wagons, for
which there is an unlimited supply of the
best timber at a nominal cost.
5. The manufacture of wooden ware
from the gum trees.
6 The manufacture of cabinet furniture
from the cheap and beautiful lumber of
this region.
7. The growing and manufacture of to
bacco. The best varieties of tobacco can
be grown in unlimited quantities, from
superb chewing to Connecticut wrappers.
8. The sheep industry—sheep will not
only live, but do well the entire year,
without any food but the natural grasses.
Turnips are a wonderful crop in this
region, and grow amazingly all winter.
With a good turnip patch fat lambs can
be placed in the market in May, at around
price. Sheep are perfectly healthy and
wonderfully prolific. Five thousand farm
ers are needed for this industry.
9. The raising of good dairy cows and
the manufacture of butter. As long as
milk commands in all the cities of the
south ten cents per quart, and butter an
average of thirty-five to forty cents per
pound, there is no danger of an over sup
ply. One hundred farmers should engage
ia this bnsiness the ensuing year, and be
prepared to conduct winter dairying an
other season. S weet potatoes make an ex
cellent food for the dairy.
dairy.
10. The fruit industry—fifty thousand
people are wanted for this line of invest
ment. Each family should possess a few
thousands so as to purchase the land and
plant tà» orchards and be able to wait for
the product. Figs, peaches, pears, Eng
glish walnuts and pecans are sure crops
and very profitable.
Canning factories will be established
upon a large scale as soon as sufficient
fruit is produced. This is the native land
of the blackberry and strawberry. Thous
ands of acres should be planted for can
ning
IftrggÜcäle, and put up neatly for the gen
. _
11. Garden sefidgjg'should be raised on a
'
eral market. Nearly every one obtains his
seed at present from the North.
12. Cucumbers, cauliflower, onions and
tomatoes grow abundantly nearly the year
round. Why not have a pickling estab
lisment? It could continue active opera
tions for nine months of thô' year in the
factory and twelve months in the field.
13. The production of rice, corn and
sweet potatoes as general farm crops are
very profitable on account of the price they
command in the market. Corn readily
commands at all seasons of the year fifty
cents per bushel. Rice now brings one
dollar and fifty cents per bushel. Ten
times as many sweet potatoes are needed
as are now produced. They should be
used extensively for cattle, horses and
sheep. A large industry will eventually
spring up in the desiccation of sweet po
tatoes for the foreign market.
We have enumerated items enough to
show that there are abundance of profit
able industries awaiting the intelligence,
energy and capital of the immigrant ; and
he must have all of these to succeed in
any country. There are some people who
have failed in every country they have
tried. They are deficient in some element
of human nature, and you cannot produce
a crop w ithout a foundation germ, in
brains any more than in soil, even though
you bring to bear the fertile soil, the
balmy atmosphere and the vitalizing sun
of thii genial climate. We need men of
force.
We want energy at a hundred pounds
pressure to the square inch. We must
have concentrated force, sustained and di
rected by sufficient capital. We have
called attention to enough profitable in
dustries to occupy one hundred thousand
persons, but each requires some capital.
Suppose a family brings nothing but
labor, then the capital ready here must be
taxed to provide a house and lot. and the
employment necessary to feed and clothe
that family. If, on the other hand, enough
money is brought to build a house and
a farm, labor now here is employed to do
this work, and it affords relief to capital.
It is ne t for us to dictate who shall come.
All are welcome.
The Ruston (Lincoln parish) Caligvaph
says that a dozen residences could be
. ..
rented or sold in that town immediately
if they were available. It says that the
school at Ruston has given the impetus to
this demand for residence property.
The Experimental Farm has received
from the nursery at Augusta, Ga., a large
variety of apple trees, peaches, pears,
plums, apricots, figs, persimmons, al
monds, filberts and quinces, together with
fifty-six varieties of grapes.
to
of
a
a
Italianizing the Hive.
Many persons having black bees are de
sirous of Italianizing them. It is often
difficult to find a black queen, as these
bees do not cling to the comb like the
Italians, but gather in clusters on the bot
tom of it. Falling off, they creep up under
the operator's clothing, and are a pest gen
erally. I have taken out the frames of a
black colony several times, and careful ob
servation failed to find the queen. Once I
brushed all the bees off the comb, and
placed them in a clean hive ; then removed
the hive from its former stand, the length
of a sheet spread upon the ground, placing
the hive with the comb upon its place,
then drove the bees back to it with smoke.
When the bees were apparently all back,
I had not found the queen. On stretching
out the sheet, a few bees were seen clus
tered together, and poking among them I
discovered her. Now, when I wish to re
move a black queen, I brush off all the
bees from the combs, place them in an
empty hive and put in front of it a bee
entrance guard. This is a piece of zinc
having perforations large enough for
worker bees, but not for drones and queens.
I remove the old hive and put this pre
pared one in its place. The queen to be
introduced should be caged in one of the
combs. The bees in the old hive are then
poured down in front of it, and may be al
lowed to enter at leisure. If they refuse
to do this because their queen is with them,
drive them with smoke, and when the
workers are in, the drones and queen will
be found on the outside, and may be de
stroyed. In most cases, had the Italian
queen been placed upon the comb, she
would have been accepted after this driv
ing operation, yet it is safer to cage her.
At the end of 48 hours, if the bees have
not released her, let her out ; if kept in
longer they may build queen cells and re
fuse to accept her. Some apiarists let a
queen run into the top of a colony after
dark, claiming it to be a safe plan. If an
Italian queen is accepted, all right ; in 9G
days the blacks will have all disappeared,
and the hive will be full of golden-banded
Italians. When honey is coming in freely,
bees are on their good behavior, and ac
cept strange queens more readily than
when it is scarce. Once during an abun
dance of apple bloom I brushed the bees
from the combs, putting them into an
empty hive, and seeing the black queen
destroyed her. I then sprinkled the bees,
together with the Italian queen, with
sweetened water. The wet bees all entered
the hive together and prospered. The
driving and sprinkling gave the bees some
thing else to think about than disputing
over the acceptance of a strange queen.
Exchange.
Raise More Corn.
Many of our southern farmers are loth
to raise corn for the reason, as they claim,
that the price does not justify it, as against
cotton. To our mind it is not so much
what a bushel of corn may be worth on
the farm as what it may contribute, that
is important. When converted into pork,
beef or butter, its true value is seen and
more readily appreciated. Besides, it is so
wonderfully convenient on the farm, and
is always saleable in the spring and early
summer at good prices. In the conversion
of corn into any concentrated or high
priced products, manurial matter is left on
the farm, instead of being carried away,
when the corn is sold in its grain form.
This, of itself, is a matter of no small
consideration to the farmer. And withal,
good friends, a well filled corn-crib means
fat beef, bacon, poultry, and healthy,
well Kept animals, plenty and prosperity
at home, and milk, butter and good cheer
at all times, within the family circle.—
Rural and Workman.
Umbrella China.
This tree, sometimes called the Texas
China, is becoming qui^jcommon all over
the country, and is one of the prettiest, if
not the prettiest, of all the trees we have.
Like everything else whose origin is not
known, there are all kinds of fables ac
counting for its origin. Some say the
berry from which it originated was found
in the craw of a wild goose ; others that a
Texan who had for a riding switch a twig
of the common China, threw it down, and
sticking into the ground small end fore
most, took root and made the umbrella
China ; and there are other stories of the
"
same
This ChinaJ^jvaHafive of Syria. It was
rrrougut "to Europe and is common along
the shores of the Mediterranean sea. A
gentleman from Texas, traveling in South
ern Europe, brought home in his vest
pocket a few seed and planted them. This,
we suppose, is their first introduction into
America, and hence by many they are sup
posed to be of Texas origin.
Just after the war, in 1866, Gov. Moore's
family were returning to Louisiana from
their exile in Texas, and on a farm belong
ing to Mr. Cundiff, 20 miles east of Crock
ett, were growing a number of umbrella
Chinas. Tom Hayes and Bun, then child
ren, gathered a lot of the berries to shoot
from their popguns as they traveled
homeward.
After reaching home some of the berries
were found in the bottom of the hack, and
Tom Hayes planted them just outside of
the hot house on Moreland. This, we be
lieve, is the accidental introduction of this
most beautiful tree into our parish.— Alex
andria Town Talk.
Capt. J. N. Pharr, one of the enterpris
ing sugar planters on the Teche, has con
tracted with Mr. George Pandely, of the
Whitney Iron Works, to erect a diffusion
battery on his Fairview plantation. He
will use the three roller mill which he now
has for drying the bagasse, which he will
then use for fuel. Capt. Pharr is a man of
enterprise and judgment. When he makes
a move in the sugar interest, it may be set
down as the correct one. The mere fact
that Capt. Pharr has concluded to change
his way of making sugar from the old to
the new process gives confidence in the
aew, and many planters will doubtless
follow in his footsteps.
The Acadia Sentinel urges the passage
of a stock law for that parish. It says :
We are in favor of a general law em
bracing the entire parish, and compelling
every man who desires to raise hogs to
make preparations to raise them without
detriment to his neighbor.
About four years ago this subject was
brought up in East Feliciana parish, a
vote was taken and carried by a large ma
jority in favor of a stock law. The parish
of East Feliciana had been drawing
largely on the noriirèrn markets for pork
and bacon, so much so, that many remarks
were made about t^er northern smoke
houses"? While the subject was being
warmly discussed one day the idea was
advanced by some one that all the pork
and bacon that came from the northern
markets to feed the hungry souls in that
parish came from parties in the great
West, who raised their hogs in pastures
enclosed for that purpose, and the people
of that parish would continue to buy
their meat until they discarded the
long nose land-pike, and began the raising
of hogs in pastures.
Alexandria received on Christmas day a
lot of watermelons, grown on a truck
farm in the vicinity. Another evidence of
the "surprises" afforded by the prolific
and never -failing soil of our fair State.
heaven hath peace.
You ask me. dear, to sing a tender lay
Yo!! ! M S ^ a " COme D0 3orrow and no
lou w h to hare the glad sun shine all d^T"
lou like not sullen clouds, nor falling rafn.
\ou lone to hear the blithesom», happy birds
Singing their roundelays from dawn to night
lou wish to hear no harsh, no cruel words *
\ ou only seek for what is pure and bright.
What joy to see the crimson blossoms swell
And not one wither, all the summer, throug
What happiness 'twould b. for me to tell
3 sweetest 8tor ' '«^h th. stars t. you
I fair, would grant thy wish, dear l 0T *0f mln -
And tune my rustic Irr. to suit the strain
I touch th. 8tr.nes._My touch Is not divine,
And through the melody a sob of pain
Lineers like twilight, at the s.t of the sun ■
And while I pray, the cold wind, hurry by
All the sweet singing of the birds is do.e '
And shadows flit across the darkening sky.
So into every life there Cometh pain.
Else earth would-be.too sweet for mort
tfiven ;
And near to every heart, hath sorrow lain •
'Tis sorrow purifieth souls for Heave,a. '
As through a glass each one doth darkly see—
\V e strive in vain to read the changeful ski
At last the veil is drawn. Eternity
I nfolds its mysteries to our wakening eyes.
In Heaven shall be no sorrow and no pain •
Its own grand song shall each heart sing
ways ; ë
Affection's purest j oy8 s U p reme shall reign
And flowers Immortal bloom in endlesss' da.
And kindred souls unfettered, shall, confessed
In hallowed recognition meet and blend
And weary hearts shall find a balm and rest
In sweet repose and peaceful, without end.
Ah, who can sing a sweeter song than this»
What soul diviner harmonies can know V
Than promise of supreme and hallowed bliss
In that fair land, to which earth's trayel
K°- >
Laura .-1. Gaigt, in Woman's Jour%
Mother, Home and Heaven.
Mother, home and heaven, says a wri
are three of the most beautiful'word
the l-.nglish language. And, truly, I th
that they mp.y well be called so. Wfc
word strikes so forcibly upon the heart
mother? Coming from childhood's sunn
lips, it has a peculiar charm, for it speak
ol one to whom they look and trust fo
protection. , »
A mother is the truest friend we hav
« hen trials heavy and sudden fall upo
us ; when adversity takes the place of pre
perity ; when friends, who rejoiced wi
us in our sunshine, desert us; when troubl
thicken around us, still will she clin
to us, and endeavor by her kind precep
and counsels to dissipate the clouds o
darkness and cause peace to return to o
hearts.
The kind voice of a mother has ofte
been the means of reclaiming an erring on
from the path of wickedness to a life o
happiness and prosperity.
The lonely convict, immured in h
dreary cell, thinks of the innocent days of
his childhood, and feels that though other
friends forsake him, he has still a guardian
angel watching over him, and that how
ever dark his sins may have been, they
have all been forgiven and forgotten by her.
Mother is indeed a sweet name, and her
station is indeed a holy one, for in her
hands are placed minds to be moulded al
most at her will—aye, fitted to shine, no
much, it is true, on earth, compared,
taught aright, with the dazzling spie®
which awaits them in heaven.
Home ! How often we hear person
speak of the home of their childhood!
1 heir minds seem to delight in dw^*
upon the recollections of joyous days s
beneath the parental roof, when th
young and happy hearts were as light an
free as the birds who made the woods re
sound wvjh the mriody of their cheerful
voices. What, a blessing it is, when weary
with care and burdened with sorrow, to
have a home to which we can go, and
there, in the midst of friends we love, for
get our troubles and dwell in peace and
quietness.
Heaven ! that land of qu./. rest toward
which those who, worn down and tired
with the toils of earth, direct their frail
barks over the troubled waters of life, an *
after a long and dangerous passage find i
safe in the haven of eternal bliss
is the home^' cilai. awaits us beyond t
awaits us beyond
grave. There the friendships formed o
earth, and which cruel death has severed
are never more to be broken ; and
friends shall meet again, never more to
separated.
It is an inspiring hope that when
separate here on earth at the summons
death's angel, and when a few more yea
have rolled over the heads of those
maining, if "faithful unto death,"
shall meet again in heaven, our etem
home, there to dwell in the presence
our heavenly Father, to go no more o
forever. „
There are three words that sweetly blend,
That on the heart are graven ;
A precious, soothing balm they lend—
They're mother, home and heaven.
They twine a wreath of beauteous flowers.
Which, placed on memory's urn, ^
Will e'en the longest, gloomiest hours**" *
To golden sunlight turn !
They form a chain whose^very link é
Is free from base alloy ;
A stream where whosoever drinks
Will find refreshing joy 1
They build an altar where each day
Love's offering is renewed ;
And peace illumes with genial ray
Life's darkened solitude 1
If from our side the first has fled,
And home be but a name,
Let's strive the narrow path to tread,
That we the last may gain !
—Mary J. Mucklt.
WORDS OF WISDOM.
shoes
may
Who waits for dead men's
have to go barefoot.
Honesty is best policy, but policy not
always best honesty.
Balances on the credit side of the ledger
always looks the best.
Better to begin the world without
dime than end it without a dollar.
The man who lays his hand to the plow
and doesn't look back is doubly blessed.
No consciousness of rectitude will en
tirely take away the sting of being cruelly
misjudged.
Every man is society's debtor, not
creditor. Will our anarchial friends^OW
bear that in mind ?
As water runs down from the swelling
hills and flows together in the lowly vale,
so grace flows not but into humble hearts.
The leaders in the coming conflict, thos
who will be crowned when the victory
gained, are not to-day sitting astraddle o
fences.
Let not him who prays suffer his tongu
to outstrip his heart ; nor presume
carry a message to the throne of gr
while that stays behind. J
It is impossible to make people under
stand their ignorance ; for it requir
knowledge to perceive it ; and, therefo
he that can perceive it hath it.
He who, in advance of the world, gr«»/
a truth is a seer who shows others hoir k
see He carries a torch that dispels -
ness which a thousand suns could
dispel. ^ ^
Lafourche parish, among its agricul
excellences, is capable of producing
crops of grapes in one season.
This do
ling of crops, by the way, is one of t
features of the soil of Louisiana.