14 FOEEST CONDITIONS IN" LOUISIANA. 



a belt with an average width of from 30 to 40 miles. In addition 

 it includes a strip about 10 miles wide bordering the Eed Eiver along 

 its entire course through the State, the lowlands along the Ouachita, 

 Sabine, Pearl, and other rivers and inland lakes, and portions of 

 the parishes south of Lake Pontchartrain and east of the Mississippi 

 River below Baton Rouge. The various parts of the region differ 

 only in minor details. Elevations range from nearly sea level in 

 the southern parishes to about 90 feet at the northern boundary. 

 This difference in the elevation represents the fall of the Mississippi 

 River; nowhere within the region is the land more than a few feet 

 above the normal river level. During the flood season, from March 

 or April to June or July, the greater part of this vast region is over- 

 flowed. At other times of the year only the swamps and cypress 

 brakes are under water. Heavy rains at any season, however, result 

 in slight overflow for a few days. 



The sluggish streams which flow through the bottoms have in a 

 measure built up natural levees. These are known as front lands, 

 and are, with the exception of the cane ridges, which separate the 

 waters of one stream or bayou from those of another, the driest situ- 

 ations in the region. They rise but slightly above the water level and 

 slope back gradually to the deep swamps. In the northern parishes 

 the differences in elevation are more marked, and the land can often 

 be drained by ditching. 



With the progress being made in levee building and drainage, it 

 is certain that a large portion of the alluvial lands will ultimately 

 be protected from overflow. Probably 5,000,000 acr^s in the 

 southern parishes, now subject to inundation, can be protected and 

 brought under cultivation. In the northern parishes drainage is, as 

 a rule, less difficult. 



The character of the forests in the alluvial region is determined by 

 the drainage of the land. The principal types are : 



(1) Deep swamps, overflowed throughout the year, containing 

 stands of cypress and tupelo, and occasional water ash and red maple. 



(2) The level or slightly undulating bottoms, subject to overflow 

 only during the flood season, with a forest of white and swamp oaks, 

 red gum, ash, elm, haekberry, hickories, black gum, cypress, and 

 other less important species. Undergrowth, other than scrub pal- 

 metto, is lacking. 



(3) The cane ridges, usually rising above high- water level, cov- 

 ered with a stand of oaks, hickor}^, red gum, and other species, with 

 a dense undergrowth of cane and briers. The ridges are usually 

 narrow and follow sinuous courses between the overflowed swamps. 



Except for an occasional brake, the entire alluvial region north of 

 Baton Rouge has been practically stripped of merchantable cypress. 

 The present stand in the deep swamps consists of tupelo of all sizes 



