LOUISIANA. 



<lii' gi'DVi' c.-ich year in ruw iicas and turn 

 the latter in late in llio fall. Alfalfa 

 sown in October upon alln\ial lands will 

 ■<ii-ciipy I lie fj;ro!ind to tlie e.-vclusion of 

 weeds for several years and allDrd sev- 

 •eral cuttings of tine hay each year. Crim- 

 son clover (an aunnal) sown' in October 

 may also be used. Otliors cultivate vege- 

 tables between the trees, particularly 

 wlieii young, and nialie the profits there- 

 from liear tlie expense of the grove until 

 th'.i latter bears a profitable crop. While, 

 lastly, others prefer clean culture the 

 ■entire year. 



FERTILIZATION OF GUOVB. 



The rich alluvial lands of the southern 

 l)art of the state will grow line, thrifty 

 trees without fertilizatiou. After bear- 

 ing several heavy crops, fertilization 

 may be necessary. However, every or- 

 chard does better by proper manuring. 

 The young trees require growth and 

 therefore need large additions of nitro- 

 gen. A mixture of two parts of cotton 

 seed meal and one part of acid phosphate 

 will meet their requiremeuts. 



Later on, when the tree begins bearing, 

 e(iual parts, with, perhaps, the addition 

 of one-fourth potash salts will do better. 

 A tree one year old should receive about 

 one pound of above fertilizer scattered 

 .iiround it in a circle whose radius equals 

 the height of the tree, and lightly 

 jilowed or raked in. For every year after 

 the amount applied should be doubled, 

 viz: two pouuds for two years old, four 

 pounds for three years old, eight pounds 

 for four years old, sixteen pounds for 

 Ave years old, etc., until you are satis- 

 tied from the growth and yield of the 

 tree that a maximum quantity has been 

 used, after that apply this quantity. 



Before the orchard is old enough to 

 bear fruit, every grower will have 

 posted himself as to best methods of 

 gathering and shipping. In planting the 

 trees, do not let their roots get dry or 

 even exposed to the sun, and cut back 

 the top to the point at which you wish 

 it to branch. It is yet uncertain at 

 what height it is best to have It branch, 

 though all are agreed that very high 

 branching is a disadvantage. 



The above details are given because 

 of the conviction of the adaptability of a 

 large amount of south Louisiana to or- 

 ange growing and of the profits in- 

 volved in orange planting here. The 

 writer sold, a few days ago, to an Ital- 

 ian the first fruit upon six trees, not 

 quite three years from the bud, for .$15. 

 Louisiana oranges;, coming in learliei? 

 than those from Florida, find nearly al- 

 ways a good market right at home, and 

 hence profits larger than elsewhere. Our 

 soils require neither fertilization nor irri- 

 gation, though both would insure larger 

 and better crops. 



Immediately on the gulf coast, any- 

 where from the Sabine to the Pearl 

 river, all varieties of oranges can be 

 successfully grown. At present the chief 

 locations of extensive groves are on the 

 Mississippi river below New Orleans— In 

 lower Vermillion, on lake Arthur and 

 Shell Beach, and in Cameron, all along 

 the coast, but especially on Grand Che- 

 niere. Elsewhere orange growing has 

 been suppressed by the larger industries 

 of sugar cane and rice, rather than of 

 the inadaptability of the country to 

 ■orange culture. 



Above the latitude of New Orleans, the 



hanlh'st varities shoulif PGn|,|.,„(,.,] .,„^ 

 these upon sour or trifolate stock, while 

 middle Louisiana may successfully grow 

 some of the Japane.se vai-ieties. (Satsuma. 

 Kewachai, Dai-Uai, etc). Tliere are thou- 

 sands of acres all through southern Lou- 

 isiana that might be very prolitablv 

 turned into orange groves. 



The scale insects (red and purple), 

 which are everywhere iroublesome to 

 orange growers, can be kept in subjec- 

 tion, or entirely destroyed, by prr)i)er 

 application of kerosene "and rosin emul- 

 sion. The experimental station has pub- 

 lished a bulletin on orange culture, giv- 

 ing complete instructions for the de- 

 struction of these pests. 



FIBEn CROPS. 



Ramie (bochmeria nivea), which fur- 

 nishes a fiber nearly eciual in value to silk, 

 can be easily grown all over the state and 

 nothing is needed to make It a leading 

 crop in Louisiana but a successful ma- 

 chine to decorticate it. 



The recent trials of machines for decor- 

 ticating this plant, at the sugar experi- 

 ment station, Awdubou park. New Or- 

 leans, gave promise of an earlv .solution 

 of this vexatious problem. When the 

 farmer can obtain a ma.:,'hine to work 

 up the product of his soil, he will not be 

 slow in cultivating this plant, since the 

 demand for this tiber is practically un- 

 limited. 



So, too, with jutes (corchorus capsularis 

 and olitorlus), the fiber from which is 

 used to make grain sacks and cotton bag- 

 ging. These plants can be grown to great 

 perfection and will be largely cultivated 

 when the fiber can be suceesfuUv de- 

 tached by machinery. 



Kentucky hemp (canjabis sativa) can 

 also be grown successfully upon the allu- 

 vial lands of the state. 



STOCK RAISING. 



No portion of the globe is better .adapt- 

 ed to stock raising than the state of Lou- 

 isiana. Our soils, unaided, will supply 

 native grasses sutlicient to maintain cat- 

 tle and horses through at least nine 

 months in the year. The great variety 

 of grasses, clovers and forage crops which 

 can be grown so successfully upon all of 

 our soils; our short winters, requiring 

 shelter and extra feed for only a few 

 months in the year; our numerous water 

 courses, with their infinite number of 

 tributaries, furnishing an abundant sup- 

 ply of water at all seasons, all conspire to 

 make Louisiana a most desirable location 

 for stock raising. The question may be 

 asked: If these natural advantages ex- 

 ist, why is it that more have not en- 

 gaged In this Industry? The ready re- 

 ply is found In the fact that heretofore 

 our entire agricultural world has been 

 absorbed in the growing of our leading 

 staples, sugar cane, rice and cotton. An- 

 other potent reason may be found in the 

 absence of packing facteries, where a 

 ready market for cattle, sheep and hogs 

 might be found the year round. Both of 

 these reasons are now gradually meltln? 

 away. Sugar cane and cotton no longer 

 afford the handsome profits of the pas* 

 to the planter, and the latter, particularly 

 the cotton planter. Is now diversifying 

 his crops and paying more attention tc 

 the raising of stock. A large majority ol 

 the horses of the state have been raised 

 at home. Mules have been raised in suf 

 flcent quantities to demonstrate that 



