found in the occasional patches of timbered land, with which their
monotonous surface is diversified and relieved. They are like islands
in the bosom of the ocean, but are for the most part so regular and
symmetrical in their forms, that one is with difficulty convinced that
they are not artificial, planted by the hand of man, in circles,
squares, or triangles, for mere ornament. It is impossible for one who
has not seen them, to conceive of the effect produced by them, rising
like towers of various forms, but each regular in itself, from the
midst of an ocean of grass. Wherever a bayou or a stream crosses the
prairie, its course is marked with a fringe of timber, the effect of
which upon the eye of the observer is exceedingly picturesque, making
a background to the view in many instances, like lines of trees in
landscape painting.
All the rivers, bayous, and lakes of this State abound with
alligators. On Red River, before it was navigated by steamboats, it
was not uncommon to see hundreds in a group along the banks, or
covering the immense masses of floating and stranded timber, bellowing
like angry bulls, and huddled so closely together, that the smaller
ones were obliged to get upon the backs of the larger. At one period,
great numbers were killed for their skins, which were made into
leather for boots and shoes, but not proving sufficiently close
grained to keep out the water, the experiment was abandoned.
Alligators average from eight to twelve feet in length. Some have been
caught, measuring twenty feet.
The fear is often entertained, and sometimes expressed, that the
levees of the Mississippi are not sufficient to resist the great body
of water that is continually bearing and wearing upon them; and these
fears have, in several cases, been realized, though never to any very
great extent. In May 1816 the river broke through, about nine miles
above New Orleans, destroyed several plantations, and inundated the
back part of the city to the depth of three or four feet. The crevasse
was finally closed, by sinking a vessel in the breach, for the
suggestion and accomplishment of which, the public was chiefly
indebted to Governor Claiborne.
In June, 1844, the river rose higher than it had done for many years,
marking its whole course, for more than two thousand miles, with wide
spread destruction to property and life. It crept over the levee in
some places near New Orleans, but caused no actual breach in that
vicinity. At Bonnet Carre it forced a crevasse, doing considerable
damage and causing great alarm in the neighborhood; but the mischief
was not so serious as might have been anticipated, and the embankment
has been so increased and strengthened, as to leave but little
apprehension for the future.
The interests of Education in Louisiana, though hitherto too much
neglected, are now decidedly and perceptibly advancing. In the higher
departments, are the College of Louisiana, at Jackson, in East
Feliciana; and Jefferson College in St. James parish, on the
coast--the former incorporated in 1825, the later in 1831. Both have
at various times, received generous donations from the treasury of the
state. Franklin College, in Opelousas was also incorporated in 1831,
under the same favorable auspices.[2]
There are also several Academies acting under the legal sanction of
the State, although not endowed by it. The Ursuline Nuns' School and
that of the Sisters of Charity--the latter in the parish of St. James,
afford instruction in all the polite branches of female education. The
Convent at Grand Coteau near Opelousas, has an average of about two
hundred scholars; and efficient persons from France have the control
and direction of their education.
The public schools, designed for the general and gratuitous
dissemination of knowledge among all classes, have not only increased
in number but have generally outstripped those of the higher order, by
seizing at once upon all the improvements which the experience of
teachers in other parts of the country, and the world, has from time
to time suggested. Mere innovations rather hinder than advance the
progress of education. But the simplest suggestion of an enlightened
experience and a sound judgment, such as are brought to bear upon this
great interest throughout the whole of the northern and eastern
States, is entitled to the profound regard of the Southern
philanthropist, whose aim and ambition it should be, to make the most
of every facility and to be no whit behind the older, but not more
wealthy sections, in any thing that can promote the moral and
intellectual power of the masses of the people.
The climate of Louisiana is hot and moist. In the neighborhood of the
marshes, and in the summer season, it partakes of the unhealthy
character of nearly all tropical climates. Diseases of the lungs,
however, and other complaints so prevalent at the north, are scarcely
known; and to many, the quick consuming fever which finishes its work
in a few days, may be considered but a fair offset to the slow but
sure consumption, which flatters its victims with the semblance of
life and hope, while dragging them through its long and dreary
labyrinths, to the chambers of death.
This climate is favorable to almost all the productions of the
tropics. The sugar, the cotton plant, the orange, the lemon, the
grape, the mulberry, tobacco, rice, maize, sweet potato, &c., &c.,
flourish in rich abundance, and some of them attain to a luxuriance of
growth scarcely known in any other part of the world. Sugar and Cotton
are the two great staples. The former is confined chiefly to that
tract, which, by way of distinction, is called "the coast," lying
along the shores of the Gulf, and the bayous of the Mississippi.
The average sugar crop of the whole state, is now about 180,000
hogsheads. That of cotton, for the last year is not ascertained, but
the amount produced in the whole valley of the Mississippi, sent to
New Orleans for export in 1843, was 1,088,000 bales. Owing to the
large extension of the cotton growing districts, and excessive
competition in its manufacture, the cultivation of cotton yields less
profit than it formerly did, and there seems to be no substantial
reason why it should not, in some degree, give place to sugar, at
least until the latter can be furnished in sufficient quantity to
supply the domestic consumption. Under the ordinary increase of
population, the utmost exertions of the cane planters will hardly
arrive at such a result, in half a century to come.
While on this subject, it will not, I trust, be deemed irrelevant or
officious, to place before the reader the suggestions of an
intelligent gentleman of New Orleans, in regard to the present mode of
cultivating and manufacturing sugar. He observes that in order to
carry on the business to advantage, and compete favorably with those
already established, a large capital is required, since in addition to
the ground to be cultivated, and the hands to be employed in the
field, expensive mills and machinery must be set up, and kept in
motion, with a large number of laborers in attendance. Consequently no
man in moderate circumstances can undertake this branch of business,
as it is now conducted. To obviate this difficulty, and extend the
cultivation and manufacture of this important staple, he proposes a
division of labor and profit, like that which prevails in the grain
growing and milling regions of the north. The farmer sells his wheat,
at a fair market value, to the miller, or pays him a stipulated
percentage for grinding and bolting. In the same manner might the
business here be divided into two distinct branches. The planter might
sell his cane to the miller, or pay him the established price for
converting it into sugar and molasses. This would enable men of
comparatively small means to undertake the cultivation of the cane,
who now confine themselves to cotton, and thus relieve the larger
cultivators of the latter staple from the dangers of over production.
Casting our eyes back to no very distant period, and noticing the
small beginnings of our early planters of cotton, the reader will
pardon the introduction of a trifling anecdote. During the year 1784,
only sixty years since, and therefore within the memory of many now
living, an American vessel, having _eighty bales_ of cotton on board,
was seized at Liverpool, on the plea that _so large_ an amount of
cotton could not have been produced in the United States. The shipment
in 1785 amounted to 14 bales, in 1786 to 6, in 1787 to 109, 1788 to
389, in 1789 to 842. An old Carolina planter, having gathered his crop
of five acres, was so surprised and alarmed at the immense amount they
yielded, which was fifteen bales, that he exclaimed "well, well--I
have done with cotton--here is enough to make stockings for all the
people in America!" The cotton crop of the United States for 1844 was
2,300,000 bales.
The fluctuations in the foreign cotton market, within a few years
past, have produced, among scientific agriculturalists and experienced
planters, no little speculation upon the course which a due regard to
their own interests requires them to pursue. It is not to be wondered
at, that in a country so vast, so luxuriantly fertile as ours, and
teeming with the most enterprising and industrious population on the
face of the earth, the strict relations of supply and demand should be
occasionally disturbed in some of the many abundant productions of the
soil. It is always a difficult problem to solve, especially where the
field is very large, and the producers many, and constantly
increasing. In attempting to meet it, the first question to be
answered is, does the present supply greatly overreach the present
demand?
An intelligent writer in Hunt's Merchant's Magazine for October, 1844,
Henry Lee, Esq., has placed this subject, so far as he has there
pursued it, in a very clear light. He commences by stating that "the
consumption of cotton in Europe, other than the production of America
and India, is too insignificant to have any important bearing upon
prices." He goes on to show that the value placed upon the article at
present, is quite sufficient, and that the advantage it gives to the
manufacturer of New England, whose operations are vastly increasing,
renders him a successful competitor to those of Great Britain; and
nothing but an inflated currency, or imprudent speculations can
produce an advance. And any advance so procured must inevitably be
followed by a ruinous reaction. He shows that, through the agency of
the British manufacturers, and the exporters of their goods to
countries beyond the Cape of Good Hope, a considerable quantity of
American grown cotton had been sent to those regions, in the form of
manufactures and twist, over and above the amount of Indian grown
cotton consumed in the factories of England. This simple fact, which
is demonstrated as clearly as figures can speak, completely nullifies
the importation of cotton from that quarter.
The proportion of raw cotton, other than the produce of the United
States and India, used in the manufactures of Great Britain, is very
small, and constantly diminishing in quantity. After producing
statistical evidence, Mr. Lee arrives at the satisfactory result that
the consumption of cotton from the United States and India, is as
ninety-four to one hundred, leaving, for all other sources of supply,
only six per cent. With such a ratio as this, and the competition
constantly declining, it is manifest that we have nothing to fear from
rival producers.
The delicate enquiry now arises, can the American planter sustain
himself under existing prices? Or, can he, by the exercise of better
economy, make his labors more productive? It seems to me, if it will
not be presuming too far to offer the suggestion, that there should be
an understanding between the larger and more intelligent planters, in
relation to these points, and that they should, for their own
individual and collective interests, consider, whether it would not be
better partially to restrain the cultivation of this staple, rather
than permit it to increase beyond the known and certain demands of
commerce. The question increases in importance, as the cotton growing
region enlarges, by the admission of "the lone star" into the
constellation of Freedom. While it secures to the United States
forever almost the entire monopoly of production, it puts it in her
power, by a judicious combination among her great producers, to
command a fair compensating price for cotton. Without some such
combination, or, which is equivalent to the same thing, a prevailing
disposition on the part of the planters, rather to wait for a demand
than to anticipate, or endeavor to create it, there will always be a
surplus stock in the market, which, however insignificant, will affect
the price of the whole crop.
The luxuriant soil of Louisiana is capable of of producing many
articles even more lucrative than cotton, of which there is no
immediate danger of creating an over supply. For some of them, there
is a very large and increasing home consumption, as well as an active
demand in other parts of the world that are open to our commerce. Of
sugar, I have spoken already. Madder, silk, hemp, tobacco, may also be
mentioned, as promising sure results to any who are disposed to try
them. Under the impression that, in view of what I have already
presented, the subject will be interesting to my readers, I shall
venture to add a few words in relation to some of the above-mentioned
articles.
Madder,[3] (_rubia tinctorum_,) the roots of a plant, which consist of
several varieties. They are long and slender; varying from the
thickness of a goose quill, to that of the little finger. They are
semi-transparent, of a reddish color, have a strong smell, and a
smooth bark. Madder is very extensively used in dying red; and, though
the color which it imparts be less bright and beautiful than that of
cochineal, it has the advantage of being cheaper and more durable. It
is a native of the south of Europe, Asia Minor, and India; but has
long since been introduced into, and successfully cultivated in
Holland, Alsace, Provence, &c. The attempt to cultivate it in England,
like that of Indian corn, has proved a complete failure. The English,
for a long time, depended upon Holland for their supplies; but now
large quantities are imported from France and Turkey, under a duty of
two shillings sterling on the manufactured, and sixpence on the roots.
The duties, formerly, were much higher.
The plant is raised from seed, and requires three years to come to
maturity. It is, however, often pulled in eighteen months, without
injury to the quality, the quantity only being smaller. It requires a
light vegetable mould, that retains the greatest quantity of water and
adheres the least to the tools. When the soil is impregnated with an
alkaline matter, the root acquires a red color, in other cases it is
yellow. The latter is preferred in England, from the long habit of
using Dutch madder, which is of this color; but in France, the red
sells at a higher price, being used for Turkey red die.
The Zealand or Dutch madder is prepared for market in a manufactured
state; and is known in trade by the terms, _mull_, _gamene_, _ombro_,
and _crops_. In some other countries, the roots are packed up
promiscuously, and the article is sold by the quintal. The price of
madder, like every thing else, is affected by the quantity in market,
and ranges in France from its minimum 22, to 100 francs a quintal. It
does not deteriorate by age. The quantity used in this country is very
considerable--but nothing equal to that required in Great Britain. For
the particular manner of cultivating madder, the reader is referred to
an excellent essay upon that subject, from the pen of M. De Casparin,
which was laid before the Academy of Sciences at Paris, and a prize
awarded to its author.
The _mulberry_ is grown with little difficulty in these latitudes, and
therefore, silk may be produced in abundance, and rendered an article
of domestic and commercial consequence. Plantations have already been
commenced in several of the parishes, which will soon test the
feasibility of the undertaking. A gentleman by the name of Vasseur,
recently from France, has purchased land and made preparations to
enter into that business, under many years of experience. In the
parish of St. James, particularly, considerable attention is being
paid to the culture of silk. It would be extremely gratifying to be
able to lay the result of these experiments before the reader; but the
necessary information is not at hand.
_Hemp_ is raised in Missouri and Kentucky to some extent, as the
quantities annually landed on the levee in New Orleans afford ample
evidence. The demand for it will be good for many years, and the hint
should not be neglected by the citizens of Louisiana, who possess the
higher grounds, which are calculated for its production. When it is
considered that this is a raw material of vast demand, which has
heretofore been furnished from abroad, there can scarcely be any
excuse for neglecting the culture, provided the profits be equal to
those on sugar and cotton. The time may come, when even foreign
nations will look to this republic for cordage and duck; at all
events, we should not depend upon them for articles necessary for
domestic purposes, and especially for those which may with propriety
be classed "among the sinews of war."
Specimens of _tobacco_, the produce of seed imported from Cuba, have
been exhibited in this market, which are very little, if any, inferior
to the best from that island. These samples were raised by a gentleman
who resides near Jackson, who took no extraordinary pains in the
cultivation. The segars manufactured from them would pass, among good
judges, for the best Havana. This planter is of opinion that he can
very much improve the crops, by bestowing as much care upon them as is
given to the same pursuit in Cuba, and there can be little reason to
question his assertion.
The Natchitoches tobacco stands higher abroad, particularly for snuff,
than any other. This article is so well known in France, and many
other places, that those who are engaged in planting it, boast that
it requires no protective duties, as it will be quite able to take
care of itself.
The only drawback upon the cultivation of tobacco, in this state, is
the worm, which begins its depredations in early summer. But much loss
by this annoyance might be avoided, by forcing the plants in their
early stage, in a hot-house, so that they might sooner be brought to
maturity, and two clippings be made before the advent of the worm.
The thin soil on lake Pontchartrain is found to be well adapted to the
_vine_. Already, considerable progress has been made in its
cultivation in that neighborhood, and grapes are abundantly furnished
for the New Orleans market. There is no doubt that wine might be
produced in abundance.
_Indigo_, one of the oldest products of this state, has been
superseded by the sugar cane. Whether the planter has found more
advantage in the latter than in the former cultivation, can only be
inferred from his continuing to pursue it; for the maxim, that trade
will regulate itself, is nearly as applicable to agriculture as to
commerce.
_Grazing_, although it has been carried to a great extent in Attakapas
and Opelousas, has never proved so lucrative as might be supposed.
Many of the cattle perish there during winter, for the want of proper
nourishment. There is a grass, however, known by the name of
_muskeet_, an ever-green, which flourishes abundantly in Texas,
spreads rapidly, is exceedingly nutritious, and much sought for by
animals, and might easily be introduced into these prairies. This
improvement would make this section of country the best for grazing in
the United States. More attention is being paid to breeding cattle,
and the improvement of stock, than formerly. Sheep may be raised among
the hills, in and about Natchitoches, in almost any numbers. In
Lafourche, also, although they are of small size, they are fat and of
fine flavor. This is a business which is yet in its infancy here. The
capabilities for its extension are immense, and there is no doubt that
the enterprise of the inhabitants will soon find means to make it
profitable. The mutton of this state is already superior to any
produced in the Union; good judges in these matters have even
pronounced it to be equal to the best English.
The minerals of Louisiana, so far as known, are very limited. Lead has
only been found in fragments; and none of these have proved to be
rich. Valuable beds of gypseous marl exist in the vicinity of the
Wachita, which admit of being worked to great advantage. Lignite coal
has been discovered in tertiary formations, which never present any
article of this kind beyond an ordinary quality, the better being
always confined to the secondary strata. On the lands north of lake
Pontchartrain, clay exists of an excellent quality and very pure,
suitable for manufacturing not only the best bricks, but pottery of
all kinds. It is to be hoped that this will remedy the great evil that
New Orleans has hitherto experienced, by the use of a bad material for
buildings. This has arisen from the employment of a substance too near
the surface of the earth; whereas, by going a little deeper, a prime
clay is obtained, that would bid defiance, when well burnt, to the
humidity peculiar to this southern atmosphere.
FOOTNOTES:
[1] Many of the preceding statements are the result of an extensive
personal observation; for others, the work is indebted to McCulloch, a
compilation of considerable value, but, unfortunately, not always to
be relied on as authority. In some points, he is glaringly incorrect.
[2] The new constitution of Louisiana prescribes that the legislature
shall establish free schools throughout the state, appoint a
superintendent of education, and provide means for defraying the
expense by taxation. The proceeds from the sale of all public lands
granted by the United States, the estates of deceased persons
escheating to the state, as well as certain other named emoluments,
are to remain a perpetual fund, sacredly to be applied to the support
of such schools. A provision is also to be made for establishing a
college in the city of New Orleans, to be called _the University of
Louisiana_, to consist of four faculties, viz. law, medicine, the
natural sciences and letters--of which the Medical College of
Louisiana, as now organized, is to constitute the faculty of medicine.
The legislature is to be under no obligations to contribute to the
support of this institution by appropriations.
[3] For many satisfactory particulars, see McCulloch's Commercial
Dictionary, under article _Madder_.
NEW ORLEANS
[Illustration: Mouth of the Mississippi]
New Orleans, the capital of Louisiana, stands on the right side of the
Mississippi, in ascending, ninety-two miles from its mouth. The river
here makes a considerable bend to the northeast, and the city occupies
the northwestern side, although its situation is east of the general
course of the stream. It is in latitude 29 deg. 57' north, longitude 90 deg.
8' west; by the river 301 miles below Natchez; 1220 miles below St.
Louis; 1040 below Cairo, at the mouth of the Ohio; 2004 below
Pittsburgh; and 1244 south-west from Washington city.