AGRICULTURAL DESCRIPTIONS

OF THE

PARISHES OF LOUISIANA.

The parishes are here grouped under the heads of the several agricultural regions, previously described, to which each predominantly belongs, or, in some cases, under that to which it is popularly assigned. Each parish is described as a whole. When its territory is covered in part by several adjacent soil-regions, its name will be found under each of the several regional heads in which it is concerned, with a reference to the one under which it is actually described. In the lists of parishes placed at the head of each group, the names of those described elsewhere are marked with an asterisk (*); and the reference to the head under which these are described, will be found in its place, in the order of the list, in the text itself.

The descriptions of the parishes embracing portions of the bottom of Red river, above Rapides, are placed under the heads of the corresponding upland regions.

The regional groups of parishes are placed in the same order as that in which the regional descriptions themselves are given.

The statements of areas, of woodland, prairie, &c., refer to the original state of things, irrespective of tilled or otherwise improved lands.

Appended to the description of each parish from which a report or reports have been received, is an abstract of the main points of such reports, so far as they refer to natural features, production, and communication. Those portions of the reports referring to agricultural and commercial practice, are placed in a separate division (Part III), following that of the parish descriptions. In making the abstracts of reports, it has been necessary, in most cases, to change somewhat the language of the reporter, while preserving the sense. In some cases statements palpably incorrect or overdrawn have been altogether omitted, while sometimes explanatory words have been added, placed in parentheses.

ALLUVIAL REGION.

The following parishes lie wholly or partly within the alluvial region of the Mississippi river or its bayous: East Carroll, West Carroll, Morehouse, Ouachita, Caldwell, Richland, parts of Franklin, Madison, Tensas, Concordia, Catahoula, Avoyelles, Rapides, St. Landry*, Pointe Coupée, West Baton Rouge, Iberville, St. Martin, Assumption, Ascension, St. James, St. John Baptist, St. Charles.

The following embrace, besides alluvium, large areas of sea marsh or marsh prairie: Jefferson, Orleans, St. Bernard, Plaquemines, Lafourche, Terrebonne.

Marsh parishes west of the mouth of the Atchafalaya: St. Mary, southern Iberia*, southern Vermillion*, Cameron.

EAST CARROLL.

Population: 12,134.-White, 1,023; colored, 11,111.

Area: 400 square miles.-Woodland, all. All alluvial lands.

acres.

Tilled land: 56,793 acres.-Area planted in cotton, 40,167 acres; in corn, 7,115 acres; in sweet potatoes, 15 Cotton production: 38,160 bales; average cotton product per acre, (the highest in the cotton-states), 0.95 bale, 1,353 pounds seed-cotton, or 451 pounds cotton lint.

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East Carroll parish is wholly alluvial, fronting on the Mississippi river, and bounded west by the bayous Maçon and Tensas. The latter diverges from the Mississippi river in the northeastern portion of this parish, at Bunch's bend, and, passing through lake Providence, takes a southwest direction.

No details regarding the agricultural features of this parish have reached me. It is doubtless similar in general to Madison and Tensas parishes.

WEST CARROLL.

Population: 2,776.-White, 1,339; colored, 1,437.

Area: 380 square miles.-Woodland, all. Alluvial land, 220 square miles; oak uplands, 100 square miles; pine lands, 60 square miles.

Tilled land: 10,071 acres-Area planted in cotton, 5,517 acres; in corn. 3,868 acres; in sweet potatoes, 27

acres.

• Cotton production: 4,012 bales; average cotton product per acre, 0.73 bale, 1,041 pounds seed-cotton, or 347 pounds cotton lint.

West Carroll, a parish lately formed, lies between bayous Maçon and Boeuf, but includes only a narrow belt of alluvium lying along these streams, the main body being an upland ridge similar to the Bastrop hills, constituting the most northerly portion of the upland peninsula, which, farther south, forms part of the parishes of Richland and Franklin (see above), under the general designation of "Bayou Maçon hills". This ridge rises rather abruptly from the bottom plain of the bayou Maçon to the height of 20 feet. It is composed of a sandy, yellow loam, and its eastern portion is timbered with short-leaf pine. In the western, the post and black-jack oaks predominate over the pine, but the soil is rather thin. The westward slope, toward bayou Boeuf, is gentle, and the land improves as we descend: the yellow loam subsoil being apparent for some distance into the Boeuf alluvial plain. The soil of the latter is highly productive. Nearly all the cotton grown in this parish is produced in the alluvial belts.

MOREHOUSE.

Population: 14,206.-White, 3,547; colored, 10,659.

Area: 842 square miles.-Woodland, all but about 20 square miles of prairie. Oak uplands, 294 square miles; alluvial land, 548 square miles.

Tilled land: 57,379 acres.-Area planted in cotton, 28,590 acres; in corn, 17,846 acres; in sweet potatoes, 496 acres; in sugar-cane, 78 acres.

Cotton production: 23,481 bales; average cotton product per acre, 0.82 bale, 1,170 pounds seed-cotton, or 390 pounds cotton lint.

Morehouse parish embraces two chief features, viz, the alluvial plains skirting bayous Bartholomew and Bœuf, and the Washita river, and the two upland peninsulas reaching down from Arkansas, on the eastern and larger one of which the town of Bastrop is situated. These ridges and the prairies at their foot have been fully described in Part I. Regarding the bottom plains of the bayous mentioned, it is noteworthy that their subsoil is often a red clay, not unlike that of Red river bottom, although it is hardly supposable that it can have come from that river. It may be derived from the adjacent upland ridges; in any case it is curious that, in overflowed ground, that color should have been retained. This can only be due to excellent drainage; and this doubtless has something to do with the high fertility of these detached alluvial areas, whose product is, by the inhabitants, reported at 450 pounds of cotton lint per acre. This is especially stated of the back-lands of bayou Bœuf, where the cotton scarcely ever rusts, while, singularly enough, the "rust" is said to appear in some years on the sandy front-lands.

The Washita bottom seems to lie lower, and therefore to be more liable to overflows, than the bottom lands of the Bœuf and Bartholomew. It is not as much in cultivation as the former, but its cotton product is said to be scarcely behind either in quality or quantity.

ABSTRACT OF THE REPORT OF A. S. KELLER, BASTROP.

The lands of the parish are a good deal diversified, and may be thus described: First, "gum lands," whose soil is very black in color, with a good deal of sand, rendering tillage easy. The timber is sweet gum, cottonwood, and pawpaw, with occasionally some red oak interspersed. Second, prairie lands of Mer Rouge and Jefferson, which are light and sandy, but not so rich as the "gum lands". Third, the stiff cane lands, which have a very black soil, hard to cultivate, especially when wet. These lands are very productive in good seasons, but are not much sought after on account of the difficulty of tillage. Their timber-growth is cottonwood, sweet gum, white and red oaks, and ash, with an immense amount of cane undergrowth. Fourth, are the hummock lands, with light and somewhat sandy soil, not so productive as those of the second class. Timber: red and white oaks, dogwood, hickory, black gum, &c.

All of the lands above described are alluvial, contiguous to the bayous Bœuf, Bartholomew, Bonne Idée, and De Gallion, and are almost level. On the " 'gum lands" the surface soil is from 2 to 4 feet deep, on prairie lands from 14 to 24 inches, and about the same on the hummock lands; on the cane lands from 24 to 36 inches. In all these the subsoil is yellow sand. The hummock lands have a stiff, grayish clay subsoil.

Besides these there are the pine uplands, which are not cultivated to any great extent, and are mainly valuable for their timber. Their soil is a reddish or yellow clay, rather stiff. Washing and gullying does serious damage on these uplands.

The lower lands are drained by ditching. Cotton constitutes about two-thirds of all crops. Corn, sweet and Irish potatoes, sugarcane for molasses, oats, German millet, &c., are produced, but cotton seems to be the product to which the soil is best adapted. The average height of the stalk is 4 feet, but varies according to the age of the land. It runs to weed when the weather is too wet. Cultivating altogether with sweeps is thought to be a remedy for this. The seed-cotton product on fresh land is from 1,500 to 2,500 pounds per acre, of which from 1,350 to 1,460 pounds is needed to make a 450-pound bale in a dry year; in wet years it takes more. After ten years' cultivation the cotton product runs from 900 to 1,500 pounds per acre, according to the season. It then takes from 1,575 to 1,675 pounds of seed-cotton to make a 450-pound bale-the staple is not so long as that from fresh land. The most troublesome weed of the lowland is the cocklebur. About 10 per cent. of land once cultivated now lies out for want of laborers.

The chief shipping-time is from October to March. Cotton is shipped mainly to New Orleans; from Monroe by rail at $2 50 per bale, or from Point Pleasant, on bayou Bartholomew, by water at $1 25 per bale. Boats also run to Monroe during a part of the year, in which case freight is less. When the waters are too low for navigation the railroad to Vicksburg charges what it pleases.

OUACHITA.

Population: 14,685.-White, 4,502; colored, 10,183.

Area: 640 square miles.-Woodland, all. Alluvial land, 340 square miles; long-leaf pine hills, 190 square miles; oak uplands, 110 square miles.

Tilled land: 48,847 acres.-Area planted in cotton, 29,040 acres; in corn, 13,143 acres; in sweet potatoes, 379 acres; in sugar-cane, 36 acres.

Cotton production: 18,729 bales; average cotton product per acre, 0.64 bale, 912 pounds seed-cotton, or 304 pounds cotton lint.

Ouachita parish, nearly equally divided between upland on the west and lowland on the east, has long-leaf pine hills of the usual character in its southwestern portion; the lower slopes of the ridges bearing an oak growth, while the crests are sandy and covered with long-leaf pine, the latter gradually disappearing as the bayou Castor is approached.

The northwestern portion has hilly oak uplauds with admixture of short-leaf pine, as in the adjoining part of Union parish. Among the oak and hickory timber of these uplands, the large-leaved magnolia (Magnolia macrophylla) is noteworthy, being rare elsewhere in the state. It usually denotes a soil rich in lime, and therefore thrifty. In the lowland swamps the genuine tupelo (Nyssa uniflora) forms a prominent (and, in Louisiana, somewhat unusual) feature.

Between the long-leaf pine hills and the oak uplands west of Monroe, there lies an extensive cypress brake, known as Chênière au Tondre, embracing about seven square miles. Numerous bayous emptying into this braké overflow much land, and render it difficult to reclaim.

The area lying east of the Washita river is wholly alluvial, except only a narrow upland ridge, with oaks and short-leaf pine, which lies between the river and bayou Lafourche. Much of the alluvial land is above any overflow experienced so far. This is especially the case with "the Island", lying between the Washita river and bayou De Siard, which is considered the garden spot of the region, producing both corn and cotton in great perfection. On the Washita river, near Monroe, the prevalent timber growth is water oak, sycamore, honey locust, and black locust, indicating a soil containing much lime.

The river and navigable bayous render the alluvial country very easy of access, and afford great facilities for transportation of produce.

CALDWELL.

Population: 5,767.-White, 2,870; colored, 2,897.

Area: 535 square miles.-Woodland, all. Long-leaf pine hills, 170 square miles; alluvial land (Washita and Bœuf), 170 square miles; central prairie region, 145 square miles; oak uplands, 50 square miles.

Tilled land: 18,267 acres.-Area planted in cotton, 9,919 acres; in corn, 5,717 acres; in sweet potatoes, 182 acres ; in sugar-cane, 39 acres.

Cotton production: 6,504 bales; average cotton product per acre, 0.66 bale, 939 pounds seed-cotton, or 313 pounds cotton lint.

Most of western Caldwell is a rough, broken, pine country, cut up by the several branches of bayou Castor. On the dividing ridge between bayou Castor and Washita river, however, a different feature prevails, as far north as several miles beyond Mount Pleasant. The country is also broken and ridgy, the ridges, especially near the Washita, running in the main parallel to that river, on which they occasionally form precipitous bluffs. These ridges have a dark-colored, loamy soil, giving evidence of the presence of lime by the absence of the long-leaf pine, and the prevalence of the better class of upland oaks, hickory, wild plum, and red haw or thorn. The best of this kind of country is in the neighborhood of Grandview, so called from the fine prospect over the Mississippi alluvial plain that is there presented. Between Grandview and Columbia there is a prairie (prairie Du Côte) about a mile in diameter, almost round, and with a yellow loam soil. The soil is very fertile, and is treeless except a few hawthorn bushes. East of the Washita river is mainly the alluvial bottom, subject to overflow, except a long narrow ridge of upland that runs down between Washita and Bœuf rivers, reaching nearly to their junction.

ABSTRACT OF THE REPORT OF W. B. GRAYSON, COLUMBIA.

The uplands are rolling, sometimes level table-lands, and vary greatly in soil. The soil principally cultivated in cotton is the black, sandy soil, with clay foundation, of the Washita bottom. Its timber growth is sweet gum, lowland oaks, elm, poplar (tulip tree), beech, cypress, &c. It varies from a fine sandy to a gravelly loam of gray, mahogany, or blackish tint; depth, 2 feet or more; underlaid by sand. It tills easily in dry, and with some difficulty in wet seasons, and is then late in getting into condition for planting. Cotton, corn, potatoes, peas, and oats are the chief crops of the region; cotton, mainly in the lowlands, and forms one-half of the crops. It grows from 6 to 8 feet in height. In warm, wet weather it may run to weed; this can be checked by plowing close to the stalks. The bottom soil yields about 1,500 pounds of seed-cotton per acre, of which 1,460 pounds are required for a 450-pound bale; rates from low to good middling in market. On older lands the staple is not so long as on fresh land. Tie-vine and cocklebur are the most troublesome weeds. Cannot tell what amount of land lies turned out. After resting awhile the river bottom land produces well. Shipments are made by (Washita) boat to New Orleans, at $1 per bale.

RICHLAND.

Population: 8,440.-White, 3,161; colored, 5,279.

Area: 578 square miles.-Woodland, all. Oak uplands, 288 square miles; alluvial land, 250 square miles; pine lands, 40 square miles.

Tilled land: 31,409 acres. -Area planted in cotton, 15,809 acres; in corn, 9,378 acres; in sweet potatoes, 66 acres; in sugar-cane, 3 acres.

Cotton production: 11,631 bales; average cotton product per acre, 0.74 bale, 1,053 pounds seed-cotton, or 351 pounds cotton lint.

Richland parish embraces two chief features: the alluvial plain of Bœuf river (here intersected by numerous bayous), and the western portion of the upland peninsula lying between the alluvial belts of the Boeuf and bayou Maçon up to Big creek, which traverses that peninsula in a northeast and southwest direction, and forms most of the line between Richland and Franklin parishes. In the northeast corner of the parish the line extends eastward to the bayou Maçon, and thus includes a portion of the alluvial bottom of the latter, as well as a portion of the pine belt which runs along the eastern edge of the uplands.

The alluvium of the Bœuf seems to be somewhat varied with higher tracts or ridges, above overflow, and of an upland character, and rather sandy. A sandy tract of this kind lies between bayou Lafourche and Bœuf river, on the Monroe and Winnsboro road, and smaller ones occur elsewhere. The alluvium proper is of a reddish tinge, apparently from the admixture of red upland soil; it is highly productive.

The uplands east of the Boeuf are gently rolling, the ridges generally running parallel to Big creek. The timber is mainly oaks with some hickory; the land being on the whole quite similar to that of the Bastrop hills, in Morehouse parish.

The transportation of cotton to market is either by steamer, on the Bœuf river direct to New Orleans, or by rail to Vicksburg and thence by river.

FRANKLIN.

Population: 6,495.-White, 2,701; colored, 3,794.

Area: 596 square miles.-Woodland, all. Oak upland, 241 square miles; alluvial land, 170 square miles; pine lands, 160 square miles; bluff (Bayou Maçon hills), 25 square miles.

Tilled land: 22,054 acres.-Area planted in cotton, 12,563 acres; in corn, 7,235 acres; in sweet potatoes, 149 acres. Cotton production: 8,472 bales; average cotton product per acre, 0.67 bale, 954 pounds seed-cotton, or 318 pounds cotton lint.

Franklin parish is chiefly rolling upland, embracing the southeasterly portion of the Maçon peninsula, and a narrow belt of the alluvium lying between bayou Maçon and the eastern edge of these uplands. It contains also, in its southwestern portion, a similar band of the alluvial plain of bayou Bœuf.

Almost all the streams of the Maçon peninsula run parallel to its longer axis, in a southwesterly direction, which is also of course the prevailing trend of its ridges. Thus we find the pine belt, which, at the northern end of the peninsula, is met with on the eastern edge of the upland (see description of West Carroll parish). This pine belt is nearly level, with a thin, sandy soil, and occupies nearly the middle of the upland tract lying between the Maçon alluvium and Big creek, widens as it progresses southwestward, attaining its maximum width of 5 miles about Winnsboro, and runs out along Turkey lake. The pine in its southern portion is chiefly of the long-leaved species. The oak lands lying on either side of the pine belt are fairly productive; the bottoms of the streams are excellent. The land of the Bayou Maçon hills proper, rising from the edge of the plain, improves in its southern portion and becomes similar, in its soil and productiveness, to that of Sicily island opposite, across Deer creek.

ABSTRACT OF REPORT OF A. F. OSBORN, WINNSBORO.

About one-fifth of the parish is what is designated “swamp”, that is, alluvial land of bayous Maçon and Bœuf. The soil of these lands is mostly heavy "buckshot", gray intermingled with brown, and about 18 inches deep; the subsoil is lighter than the surface-soil, variegated from whitish-gray to yellowish-brown, mixed with sand; hence it is easier to till than the ordinary surface-soil, and is nearly or quite as fertile. The surface-soil is crumbly in dry weather and easy to till; in wet seasons very clammy and difficult to work. The natural timber-growth is lowland oaks, sweet gum, swamp hickory, hackberry, box-elder, black and honey locusts, maple, sycamore, cottonwood, and, in low grounds, cypress. The soil is best adapted to cotton, and six-tenths of the improved land is occupied by this crop. It is most productive when 6 feet high; is inclined to run to weed when the soil is fresh; topping is resorted to by some, to restrain this tendency. In fresh land the seed-cotton product ranges from 1,500 to 2,500 pounds per acre, of which 1,520 make a 450-pound bale of lint, middling staple. After fifteen years' cultivation the product, in good years and with good culture, will still range from 1,200 to 2,000 pounds, about 1,432 being then needed for a 450-pound bale. The staple from old land is considered to be of finer texture than from fresh land.

About 25 per cent. of land once in cultivation now lies turned out.

The most troublesome weeds are crab-grass, cocklebur, careless-weed, tea-weed, buffalo-weed.

West of bayou Maçon and east of bayou Bœuf and Big creek, there are undulating table-lands, interspersed with cypress brakes and flats, some 15 miles wide east and west, and 35 miles north and south. Timber on higher lands: oaks with hickory and, in part, pine; on lower lands: oaks, black walnut, hickory, sweet and black gums, maple, sassafras, beech, poplar (tulip tree), magnolia, dogwood, wild cherry, honey and black locusts, &c.

The soil is a fine, sandy one, from brown through buff and gray to whitish in lowlands, about 8 inches deep; subsoil heavier than surface-soil, putty-like, yellowish tint, sometimes impervious, occasionally containing black gravel underlaid by sand, blue mud and sand alternately, 12 feet from surface. Where this subsoil comes to the surface no crops do well, although it tills easily.

The soil is best adapted to cotton and sweet potatoes; cotton occupies about six-tenths of the land cultivated, and attains the height of 6 to 8 feet. It seems to boll equally well at either height. On newly cleared land it sometimes inclines to run to weed; topping is resorted to, but with doubtful advantage. Seed-cotton product, from 1,300 to 1,400 pounds per acre, of which 1,520 pounds make a 450-pound bale usually; sometimes only 1,350 are required; clean staple rates middling. After fifteen years' cultivation the product is 1,100 pounds; in very favorable seasons as high as 1,350 pounds per acre; about the same amount of seed-cotton needed for a bale; staple of somewhat finer texture than that from fresh land.

Crab-grass is the chief pest on this soil, also careless-weed, &c.

About 25 per cent. of this land now lies turned out; it improves by this if kept from washing, and will sometimes produce as much as fresh land; but it washes and gullies very rapidly on slopes if neglected, and is thus soon ruined. In most cases the valleys are