8 BULLETIN 74, U. S. DEPAETMENT OF ArxEICULTUEE. 



far as Pittsburgh and down the Ohio and Mississippi to Memphis; 

 up the Ohio and Great Kanawha to Charleston, W. Va.; and an 

 important line phes nightly between Cincinnati and LouisviUe. In 

 addition to these, a number of other hnes give regular service at 

 Cinciimati. The longest route followed regularly from Cincinnati is 

 the one to Memphis, 749 miles away. From Cincinnati to Pittsburgh 

 the distance is 470 miles; from Cincinnati to Charleston, 263; and 

 from Cincinnati to Louisville the distance is 128 miles. 



From St. Louis regular hnes reach to St. Paul on the upper Mis- 

 sissippi and to Memphis on the lower; and extend also up the Mis- 

 souri River to Kansas City, up the Illinois to Peoria, and on the Mis- 

 sissippi, Ohio, and Tennessee Rivers to Waterloo, Ala. 



Steamboat hnes from Memphis reach points as far down the 

 Mississippi River as Vicksburg, the up-river boats, as has been said, 

 running from Memphis as far as St. Louis on the one hand and 

 Cinciimati on the other. 



Another important steamboat center in the Mississippi Valley is 

 New Orleans. From this port steamboats serve landings as far up 

 the Mississippi River as Vicksburg, and at least one Une of boats fol- 

 lows the Mississippi, Red, and Black Rivers up to Harrisonburg, La. 



Various other routes are followed through the network of rivers, 

 bayous, and canals in the traffic between New Orleans and numerous 

 towns and landings in southern Louisiana as far west as Bayou 

 Teche and as far north as Red River. The variation in distances 

 traveled by steamboats between New Orleans and St. Martin viUe on 

 Bayou Teche illustrates the intricacies of the bayou routes. The 

 trip by way of the Mississippi River and the Plaquemine waterways 

 is 257 miles. By way of Harveys Canal, Bayou Barataria, Lake 

 Salvador, Harang Canal, Bayou Lafourche, a private canal. Bayou 

 Terrebonne, Barrows Canal, Bayous Black, Chene, and Boeuf, Ber- 

 wick Bay, and Bayou Teche, the steamboat route is 192 miles; and 

 by still another but shorter series of waterways the distance is 

 reduced to 178 miles between New Orleans and St. MartinviUe. 



Another group of steamboat routes from New Orleans consists of 

 those reaching points on Lake Ponchartrain. 



Of the many products carried on these various groups of steamboat 

 routes from New Orleans, cotton may be taken as the typical com- 

 modity carried on the routes extending northward, sugar on the routes 

 of the bayou region, and fruit and vegetables on Lake Ponchartrain. 



Of the Gulf slope, as distinct from the Mississippi Valley proper, 

 Mobile is one of the principal river ports. From this city steamboat 

 lines extend up the Mobile, Alabama, and Tombigbee Rivers to 

 Montgomery, Selma, Demopohs, and minor landings. Cotton is 

 one of the most important agricultural products carried on these 

 waterways. 



