with cupressus disticha and nyssa aquatica, to the elevated soil upon which is growing luxuriantly, the magnolia grandiflora, liriodendron tulipifera, quercus tinctoria, and ulmus americana, with an underwood of cornus florida, laurus benzoin, and morus scabra.

The singular stream of Bayou de Glaize winds nearly through the centre of Avoyelles. The banks of this Bayou are above inundation, and are covered with arundo gigantea. It is these banks that impede the waters of the overflow of Red river from taking a course towards Opelousas, and turn the current into the Atchafalaya.

The land upon the De Glaize is excellent, and will admit extensive settlement; but little is however reclaimed, and most of it remains public property.

Settlements yet made in this parish, are in Avoyelles prairie, and that of the Bayou Rouge; the latter is however of little consequence, consisting of only eight or ten families. Staples are cotton and lumber.

It may be observed in this recapitulation of the parishes of the state of Louisiana, that many objects are omitted; I have presented only those features that mark the general character of each place. The impression on the mind must be stronger, when nothing is seen but the bold outlines that compose the physiognomy of a country, and the memory will retain more tenaciously when not distracted by minute detail.

Respecting the boundaries of the parishes marked on the map, many of them are drawn by analogy; not being defined by law. As my object was more particularly to give correct information respecting the various natural features of the country,

the mere political or artificial subdivisions were of minor consequence. New parishes will no doubt be formed, as population increases; but the standing objects in nature resting permanent, I trust the descriptions given will long remain accurate.

STATISTICS

OF THE

STATE OF LOUISIANA.

CHAP. VI.

AGRICULTURE-FRUITS.

I WILL now review another and important subject; the agriculture of not only the banks of the Mississippi, but collectively of all the state of Louisiana. The information given on this head is in part from actual experience, and all from personal observation. Something may be omitted that would interest the reader; but I trust that nothing is presented that can mislead. One object has been kept in view by the writer; to avoid inflated accounts that could engender hopes of premature gain. In delineating the great permanent objects of nature, an effort has been made to render the descriptions true, and lasting as the objects themselves. In detailing the advantages or disadvantages attending settlement in Louisiana, the contrast has been made without individual prejudice. How far the writer's views have been transfused into his work, the public will decide.

Amongst the objects of culture in the state of Louisiana, maize or Indian corn deserves the first place.

Maize is cultivated in every variety of soil in the state; the quantity produced from a given surface of land varies extremely. In new and rich bottom, or alluvial lands, often twenty barrels or sixty bushels have been procured from a square acre, but this produce is beyond the common standard, even on the best soil. On second rate lands in the northern parts of the state, remote from rivers of large size, an average of fifteen or twenty bushels to an acre may be considered a good crop. But few spots that can be cultivated, but will produce maize. Perhaps this excellent grain will come to perfection on greater variety of soil, than any other that has been brought into use for purposes of nourishment. The time necessary to bring maize to maturity, is less than that requisite for any other species of grain. The range of the Indian corn is more extensive in America, than any other culmiferous plant yet cultivated. From the plains of the Rio de la Plata, to the Canadian lakes, maize is the principal nourishment of the human species, and the greatest part of the animals that man has made subservient to his use.

No scale to estimate the real value of the labour of human beings can be so certain, as the price of that produce reared by their hands for their own support. The quantity of Indian corn that in common years, and on land of middling quality, that one man can produce, will not vary much from two hundred bushels, which at one dollar per bushel, the ordinary price, gives two hundred dollars worth of nourishment, from the labour of one man. The time of the year that labour can be expended on maize does not exceed four months, or one third part of the season; maize is usually planted in the state of Louisiana in March, April, May, and even in June. The time of harvest varies accordingly,

through the months of August, September, October, and November. Though one dollar per bushel* has been marked as the medium price, yet its value must be liable to fluctuation from revolutions that may take place in other staple commodities. When sugar, cotton, indigo, and tobacco bear a high price, or when the hopes of the farmer are inflated respecting those articles, the culture of maize will be neglected; dependence being placed for supplies from Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio, and other places. When, as has more than once been the case, in the last twenty years, that no staple would promise a rich return to the farmer, the above articles, usually more valuable in a commercial sense, were neglected; the necessaries of existence were more attended to; and maize, as a marketable commodity, of course sold at a lower price.

All vegetable and animal substances have two vàlues, that differ essentially from each other. The first and most settled value of any edible substance, is the part that substance performs in the nourishment of life. Absurd as it may be, this real value of all vegetable and animal matter, that is appropriated to support existence, has been neglected in most estimates respecting domestic economy, whilst the varying market price, has been dwelt upon with more than painful scrupulosity. From a real neglect of this difference, the most serious evils have been felt. When cotton will give a return of twenty, or twenty-five dollars per cwt. in the

* When mentioning the bushel as a measure of capacity, it is used from the knowledge that most persons who will probably read this work, use the bushel; though it has never been introduced into the state of Louisiana. Speaking of maize, or any other gramineous seed, measured by the bushel, the pure matter, freed from the pellicle or shell, is to be understood.