046 



LOUISIANA 



r»n milps from its western bank, and <lisappear near the 

 Gulf in what are known as "islands,'' suuli us "Avery's 

 Island" and "Jefferson's Island." There is also another 

 section of these lands on the east bank of the river im- 

 mediately south of the Mississippi state line. These 

 I mds are characterized by a yellow clay loam, very fer- 

 tile, and by forests of magnolia, gums, oaks, etc. They 

 produce some of the stone-fruits well, and an abundance 

 of pears, berries and figs. 



Third : The Prairie i^a«(7s. — These occupy a portion 

 in the central southwestern part of the state, are tree- 

 less, low and are ;ils(i known as rii-r hinds. The soil is 



poor but improves with cultivation, and gradually the 

 planting of figs, pears, peaches, plums and grapes has 

 been extended. 



Fourth: The AUuvial Lands. — These make up all 

 the other portions of the state not mentioned, including 

 the river bottoms. The soil is generally dark, ranging 

 from black to light red, very fertile and abounding in an 

 abundant growth of timber. They produce the heavy 

 yields of cotton and corn in the northern portion, and 

 the sugar cane, oranges, lemons, persimmons, flgs and 

 bananas, as well as other tropical fruits, in the southern 

 part. 



The leading varieties of vegetables are grown in every 

 section of the state, and the home garden furnishes an 

 abundant supply during all seasons of the year, under 

 proper management. Those vegetables most popularly 

 grown for home consumption are as follows : Aspara- 

 gus (on the sandy soils only), artichoke (both Globe 

 and Jerusalem), bean, beet, cabbage, carrot, collard, 

 corn, cress, cucumber, cashaw (pumpkin), endive, egg- 

 plant, kohlrabi, leek, lettuce, melon, mustard, okra, 

 onion, parsley, pea, pepper, Irish potato (two crops), 

 sweet potato, radish, spinach, tomato, turnip and ruta- 

 baga. Occasionally there is found the vegetable pear 

 { Sechium ednle) , martyma,, brussels sprout, celery, cher- 

 vil, garlic, kale, salsify, parsnip, cauliflower and field 

 pumpkin. The majority of these vegetables may be 

 sown several times during the year. Celery and cauli- 

 flower, however, are sown early in August in order to 

 mature by the Christmastide. 



The commercial truck sections are found in vari(^)ns 

 sections of the state Along the Illinois Central railn.a.l 

 a direct line to Chicago from New Orleans, wliich runs 

 through the warm sandy pine lands, the most extensive 

 truck farms are to be seen. The vegetables grown are 

 radishes, beans, cantaloupes, cucumbers and tomatoes. 

 The town of Roseland alone, in 1898, shipped 50,000 



LOUISIANA 



Imshels of radishes. Hundreds of car-loads of these 

 vegetables are sent to the Chicago, ('Icvcland and St. 

 Louis markets during the months of Marcli, Ajiril and 

 May. This section also produces enornious quantities 

 of early strawberries, as hundreds of acres are planted 

 each year, and shipments are sent by car-load lots from 

 the stations on this line in Tangipahoa parish. The 

 plants are set in August and September of each year, 

 and, as a rule, are kept liut one season. Abundance of 

 pine straw is used for mulch, and when an early spring 

 frost threatens, this mulch is also used to cover the 

 plants as well, oftentimes protecting them .so that the 

 first and most valuable fruits escape and mature, thus 

 g the most profitable picking. The varieties 

 grown are : Cloud, Michel Early, Miller, Bubach, 

 Oandy, Seltzer and Creole Beauty. The Japan plums 

 are also grown in this section extensively, the most 

 desirable varieties being the Abundance and Burbank. 

 A few peaches and Japan persimmons are grown, but 

 not so as to become a commercial product. 



Another great truck section is found in the immedi- 

 ate vicinity of New Orleans, and along the river towards 

 the Gulf on the New Orleans, Fort Jackson and Grand 

 Isle railroad. New Orleans is supplied mainly from 

 this source, and at the same time enormous amounts are 

 sent North. The truck grown for the latter purpose 

 consists of cabbages, onions, tomatoes, beans, jtcas. egg- 

 plants and cantalou]ifs. Cmunnbers 

 are also grown, both in the hotbed and 

 in the open, oftentimes bringing high 

 returns when sent North, the winter 

 prices nanging from 30 cents to $2.50 

 per dozen. 



The lower portion of this section 

 contains also the great orange groves 

 of the state. They are located all along 

 the river, and it is only when a belated 

 'ilizzard visits this section that a crop 

 failure is experienced. Some of the.'re 

 orchards contain nmi-c than 100 acres. 

 The stocks now used are almost en- 

 tirely the common sour and Citrus tri- 

 foliata. Occasionally the sweet seed- 

 '.;j lings and lemons are used, but not to 

 any extent. The iirst two mentioned 

 are the hardiest stocks known, and 

 mature their wood, making a more desirable tree. 

 The varieties grown are: Satsuma, Boone Early, 

 Sweet Seville, Parson Brown, Brazilian, Baldwin No. 1, 

 Creole, Homosassa, Washington Navel, DuRoi Blood, 

 Hart Tardiff, Rivers Unknown and Schoenberger. 

 Besides these, large quantities of mandarins, tanger- 

 ines and Kumquat oranges of various varieties are 

 grown. The various scale insects, so serious when no 

 care is given, are, as a rule, kept in complete control 

 by the careful use of insecticides, and the laws govern- 

 ing the importation of infected trees are rigidly enforced. 

 As oranges in Louisiana are grown on such different 

 soil from the orange sections of other states, one or two 

 points must always be kept in view. Beds should be 

 raised before the trees are set, and the crown roots of 

 the young tree should be just at the surface of the ground. 

 These requirements are necessary on the alluvial lands 

 of the lower Mississippi. The Satsuma. Kcwocliai and 

 Dai Dai are Japanese varicti. s. and wlu ii wc.rki d upon 

 Citrus trifoliata stock ^^ill stand luin-h ninre cold than 

 the sweeter oranges. The Satsuma thus worked is the 

 most desirable and will stand a temperature of 13° F. 

 without injury. The orjinge industry is increasing an- 

 nually, the crop for 1898 being upwards of 300,000 

 boxes. 



Another truck section is found along the Iron Moun- 

 tain railroad north of Alexandria ; it is limited to 

 only a few crops, such as melons, tomatoes and Irish 

 potatoes. Along the Vicksburg, Shrevesport and Pacific 

 railroad large quan'.ities of Irish potatoes are grown, 

 wliile along" the Kansas Citv, Pittsburg and Gulf rail- 

 road and the Jlississi).].! Valley railroad, only limited 

 i|uantitics of trui'k have liccn siuit out. From reliable 

 statistics it is found that the annual otitput of Louisiana 

 approxim.ates 40,000 tons of fruit and (iO.OOO tons of vege- 

 tables. The varieties of these vegetables grown for the 

 Northern markets are as follows : The Acme and Beauty 



