The Emigrant's Guide to the Western and Southwestern States and Territories: comprising a geographical and statistical description of the States of Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Ohio; the Territories of Alabama, Missouri, Illinois, and Michigan; and the western parts of...

Front matter

THE EMIGRANTS GUIDE TO THE WESTERN AND SOUTHWESTERN STATES AND TERRITORIES: COMPRISING A GEOGRAPHICAL AND STATISTICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE STATES OF Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Ohio ; — the Territories of Alabama Missouri, Illinois, and Michigan; and the western parts of Virginia, Pennsylvania, and New-York. With a complete List of the Road and River Routes, west of the Aleghany Mountains, and the connecting Roads from New-York, Philadelphia, and Washington City, to New-Orleans, St. Louis, and Pittsburg. The whole comprising a more comprehensive Account of the Soil, Productions, Climate, and present state of Improvement of the Regions described, than any Work hitherto published. ACCOMPANIED BT A MAP OP THE UNITED STATES, INCLUDIN6 LOUISIANA, PROJECTED AND ENGRAVED EXPRESSLT FOR THIS WORK.

BY WILLIAM DARBY, Member of the New-York Historical Society, and Author of a Map and Statistical Account of the State of Louisiana and the adjacent Regions. NEW-YORK: PUBLISHED BY KIRK & MERCEIN, HO. 22 WALL-STREET. ahd for sale bv wells si lilly, boston ; e. f. backus, albany; a. seward, utici; j. e. coale, baltimore", wokslev u smith, lexington, kentucky; tuoma3 dobson, m. carey & son, m. thomas, and e. eari v, philadelphia ; he7.kkiah howe, new-haven j o. sheldon &. co. hartford; rousmaniere &. barber, newport; d. fenton, trenton-, w. t*. norman, Hudson; fitzwhvlsonn & potteh, Richmond; w. f. gray, frbdeeicksbdrgh j john mill, charleston; and w. t. williams, savannah. William A. Mercein, Printer, 43 Calil-Slrest. 1S118. Souffiern District of JVeio-York, ss. BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the twentieth day pf January, inythe forty-first y«ar of the Independence of the United States of America, Kirk & Mercein, of the said District, have deposited in this office the title of a Book, the right whereof they claim as Proprietors, in the words following, to wit : " The Emigrant's Guide to the Western and Southwestern States and Territories: comprising a Geographical and Statistical Description of the States of Louisiana, Mis sissippi, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Ohio; — the Territories of Alabama, Missouri, Illi nois, and Michigan ; and the western parts of Virginia, Pennsylvania, and New-York.

With a complete List of the Road and River Routes west of the Aleghany Mountains, and the connecting Roads from New- York, Philadelphia, and Washington City, to New- Orleans, St. Louis, and Pittsburg. The whole comprising a more comprehensive Ac count of the Soil, Productions, Climate, and present state"of Improvement of the Re gions described, than any Work hitherto published. Accompanied by a Map of the Finited States, including Louisiana, projected and engraved expressly for this work. By William Darby, Member of the New-York Historical Society, and Author ol a Map and Statistical Account of the State of Louisiana and the adjacent Regions." In conformity to the Act of the Congress of the United States, entitled " An Act for the encouragement of Learning, by securing the copies of Maps, Charts, and Books to the authors and proprietors of such copies, during the time therein men tioned."

Chapter I

Louisiana — extent and divisions — land offices in — titles to land — surveys — productions— seasons — inundations. — Mississippi river — its confluent streams. — Gulf of Mexico — currents in. — New-Orleans — its connexion with the Mobile, Natchez, Arkansaw. — French colony — grant to. — Climate of France, respecting the productions of wine. — Rozier's work on agriculture. — Basin of the Rhone — Seine — Loire — Garonne — Mobile. — Climate of Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Texas. — Alabama territory — towns of — roads. — Advice to Emigrants — Moschetoes, mode of defending themselves against — page 3 — 43.

Chapter II

Louisiana — southwest part — roads in — limits — general description — rivers — productions — inhabitants — their character — prairies — political divisions — sugar cane — domestic animals — cereal gramina — climate — forest trees. — Texas — settlement of — a part of the United States — climate — inhabitants — natural features — productions. Red rives — country watered by. — Ouachitta — confluent streams. — Grants of Batrop's and Masion Rouge's grants. — Northwest section of the state of Louisiana — towns of — staples' — land — p. 44 — 103. .

Chapter III

Mississippi — state of — act of congress respecting — statistical table of — Convention — Dr. Lattimore's Speech — population — position — rivers — counties — natural divisions — natural productions — climate — soil — staples — towns. — Alabama territory — act of congress creating — general description — towns. — Missouri territory — statistical table —rivers — settlements — towns — improvements — agriculture — population — climate — roads — p. 104 — 164.

Chapter IV

Olive tree — History of — in New Spain — botanical description of — climate and soil suitable to — locality in France. — Mouth of Black Warrior river — latitude of. — Effects of frost upon the olive — history of the olive tree, from Miller's Gardener's Dictionary — com pared with the vine — vegetation — leaves of. — Cotton— sugar — rice — tobacco — indigo — potatoes. — Fruits of Louisiana. — Vegetables that may be introduced into, beneficially. — Mulberry — silk worm — 165 —186. '

Chapter V

v Valleys ofthe Ohio and Illinois — statistical table of — geographical structure — political divisions.--State of Tennessee — length,breadth, CONTENTS. and extent — natural features — mountains. — Tennessee river — stationary distance upon — soil and climate of the state of Tennessee — progressive geography — history — productions — roads. — Kentucky — progressive geography — population — rivers — productions — towns,colleges and schools. — Illinois territory — topographical table of — pro gressive geography — history — rivers — bounty lands in — limber trees ■ — towns. — State of Indiana — statistical table of — rivers — towns — villages — schools — productions, and staples — merchandise — -187 — 217.

Chapter VI

Ohio — state of — population — extent — topographical tables — natural geography — rivers — progressive geography — history — towns — productions — seasons — climate — West Pennsylvania — West Virginia — natural geography — minerals — mountains — rivers — cities — towns — productions — proposed canals — improvement — 218 — 266.

Chapter VII

Basin of St, Lawrence — political divisions of. — Lakes — Michigan — Huron — Erie — Ontario. — Rivers — Genessee country — roads. — Boats most suitable to navigate the Mississippi river. — Canal from Hudson to Erie — from Hudson to Champlain. — List of roads. — Advice to Emigrants. — Ohio valley. — Geographical and statistical works on — 267—298. ■— OafO-—

Appendix

. No. I. Form of a Spanish Grant. — II. Canals. — III. Western settlements. — IV. Late Indian Treaty — V. Population in Indiana. — VI. American wine. — VII. Hamilton, in the state of New-York. VIII. Inland Navigation. — IX. Navigation of the Aleghany river. — X. Inland Navigation. — XI. Steam on the Mississippi and confluent rivers. — XII. Birkbeck's "Journey iu America." Note — Topographical table of tbe western parts of the state of New-York, and of Michigan territory.

Preface

. The daily increasing importance of the Western and Southwesteri)* States and Territories of the United States, and the immense population which the tide of emigration is accumulating in those regions, render an accurate topographical description of their natural and artificial features a desideratum in geographical science. Many local circumstances of the greatest consequence to travellers, are not made the subjects of remark, in any work extant. Even the manner and conditions, in, and under which the public lands of the United States are sold, the situation, productions and climate of the Western and Southwestern States, are very imperfectly described, in most geographical works. Dr. Drake's account of Cincinnati, is the best publication extant, relative to the States of Ohio and Kentucky ; but that performance, judicious as it is, embraces but a small part of the extensive country, in the Valley of the Ohio, Mississip pi, Missouri, and their confluent streams.

As to Stoddard's Louisi na, Brackenridge's views of Louisiana, and Darby's Louisiana, they, like Drake's Cincinnati, furnish only local information. Mr. Melish's work, accompanying his large map, contains a general description of the United States ; but, being part of an expensive work, which few persons, comparatively, have it in their power to procure, its usefulness is conse**-, quently very confined. In the present work, it has been the intention of the author, to con***. dense into one portable, and cheap volume, such notices of the country described, as would tend to remove many obstacles. The roads are air ranged for each State and Territory, which are necessary for a removal to any given place in tlie Valley of the Mississippi, by all the various routes now travelled, either by Und or water.

The description of tenure, under which the French and Spanish go vernments granted lands to individuals, is butv imperfectly known in the United States, and emigrants ought to g;un a previous knowledge of its nature, before removing to places, where all landed property, not sold by the United States, is held and transferred under a species of title, having but little analogy to any with which they had a previous acquaintance. As the author of this work was one of the surveyors, who for several years assisted in adjusting the ancient boundaries of land, in Louisiana, he had frequent and favourable opportunities of gaining correct informal tion, respecting the French and Spanish land titles. Though many local circumstances may be omitted, yet the outhor flatters himself, that the traveller in the valley of the Mississippi, will find the Emigrant's Guide an useful manual.

PREFACE.

. A statement of the distances from New Orleans, to the various points iu Louisiana, Texas, Mexico, Mississippi, Alabama, and Missouri, has never before been published on so extensive a plan ; many of the routes are not even mentioned in any former work. A knowledge of the sea son.- ofthe year, most suitable to travel, either by land or water, is ofthe utmost importance to the emigrant. More expense and embarrassment arise from travelling in newly established settlements, at improper times, than many persons could be made to believe. Want of information on the subject of the means of conveyance, is also a source of trouble and expense to emigrants, particularly those, who remove with families. Practical experience on the subject, has enabled the author to mention, in detail, the vegetable staples, their prices and usual mart of sale.

The three great articles of culture in the Western and Southwestern States and Territories, Cotton, Flour and Sugar, will demand the most serious attention in every statistical work, relative to those places. The author has been careful to avoid holding up exaggerated prospects of rapid gain ; the many Overwrought and highly coloured pictures which have been drawn of different parts, of what is in common language called the Western Country, have produced more evil and injury than can be easily conceived. That those regions do present flattering views to the emigrant, there is no doubt; but there is no country, where labour is not indispensably necessary, and where the^common routine of acquir ing gain, is not slow and gradual. With his best wishes for their prosperity, the author of this work takes leave of his readers. New-York, Sept. nth, 1817. THE EMIGRANT'S GUIDE.

Chapter I

That part of tbe United States, which has received the term Western, relatively lo the part east of the Aleghany mountains, lies entirely in the valley of the Mississippi, and Basin of the Canadian Lakes. The southwestern parts of the United States, south of Ten nessee and west of Georgia, lie in the valleys of the Mississippi, Mobile and Apalachicola rivers, and other smaller streams in their vicinity. The following table will exhibit the extent and population of this part of America. Extent in Population, square miles. Acres. Louisiana 110,000 48,220 30,860 800 Mississippi 40,000 44,500 28,4«0.000 Alabama 25,000 44,500 28,480,000 Tenessee 340,000 40,000 25,600,000 Kentucky 580,000 39,000 24,960.000 Ohio 346,000 39,000 24,960,000 Indiana ,00,000 34,000 21,760,000 Illinois 20,000 50,000 32.000,000 Missouri *200.000 1,200,000 768,000,000 Michigan 7,000 27,000 17,280,000 N. W. Territory 147.000 94,080 000 Texas ' 10,000 100.000 6*1.0P0.(*00 ' 1,778,000 1,313,220 | 1, 160,460... 00 When the valley of the Mississippi is mentioned in this work, it is to be understood as comprising all the country drained by (hat river, properly so cilled, or i!s tributary streams.

In describing each of the territorial divisions in this work, we will commence with the most southwestern, and proceed in the order of natural posilion as far as practicable. Following this arrangement, tbe state of Louisiana will first present itself Before entering on a detail of tbis state, it may not be irrelevant to explain the difference between Louisiana in its extended sense, and the state of Louisiana as created by act of Congress. When Louisiana was taken possession of, Dec. 20th. 1803, it was temporarily divided into two territories, the territory of Orleans, and that of Louisiana. The territory of Orleans, comprising the s.ime limits, except West Florida, that now contain the. state ot Louisiana, ivas, when the territory of Orleans became a state, changed to the * Including the Indians. territory of Missouri,* as it now politically exists.

The state of Louis iana commences on the west or right bank of the Mississippi, where that river is intersected by the thirty third degree of north latitude ; and thence down the middle of the Mississippi, to the northernmost part of the tliirty-lirst degree of north latitude ; thence along that degree to the west or right bank of the Pearl river ; thence down that stream to its mouth ; thence along the gulfof Mexico, including all islands within six leagues ofthe shore, to the mouth ofthe Sabine river ; thence up that stream, until where it is intersected by the thirty second degree of north latitude ; thence by a line due north to the northernmost part of the thirty-third degree of north latitude ; and thence along that degree to the place of beginning. There is no extent of land on the globe, possessing greater diversity of soil, than the state of Louisiana.

The southeastern part mostly is included in the delta of the Mississippi, is flat, and where the sur face can be preserved from inundation, extremely fertile ; the south western part is generally level prairie, and much of its area extreme ly productive ; the northwestern part, a thick sorest, and low alluvial soil, upon the rivers ; but at a distance from the streams, the land is high, broken, and sterile. Like all other establishments made in America, the first settlements ofLouisiana were detached, and known by the term of " posts." While a French colony, the posts, east of the Mississippi, were Mobile ; upon the Mississippi, at a distance from New Orleans, Lafourche, Bat ton Rouge, Point Coupee and Natchez ; — and west ofthe Mississippi, Attnciipas, Opelousas, Rapides, Avoyelles, Natchitoches, wAOuachiita.

Notwithstanding the parochial, and county divisions now existing in Louisiana, the names of the ancient " Posts'' are retained, and by their appellations, are the minor subdivisions known. During the existence of the French and Spanish governments, the pl.cesnear New Oi leans, and on the margin ofthe river, were known by the current name of the Churches, and this topographical discrimi nation is also retained in common use at this time. As almost every person, in and out of the country, knows tbe various parts of Louisiana by these long established terms, I shall use them in this work. It would be vain, even in Louisiana, to inquire for the Church of St. Landre", though every person could point out Opelousas. Attacapas is every where known, whilst but few out of the parishes themselves, know the existence of such places as St. Martins, or St. Mary's. The same observations are applicable to Lafnurche, Baton Rov^e, *We are induced to introduce in Ibis place, the folloiving translation, in order toshowhort life Ihe best geographers of Europe know of the political territorial divi»io:.s in America, and lion* far their descriptions ol boundaries are entitled to credit.

" Government of New Orleans, or lower Louisiana, extent and limits — AH we certainly knore on these two subjects, is reduced to this,— lliat a line drawn from Ihe post of Natches u> that of Natchitoches on Red river, forms the limit between the government of New Orleans aud that of Indiana, Louis iane; upper Louisiana." Menlellt, Paris, lsltj. TIip ,vork from •.• hich the above is extracted, is au elaborate system of uni- ■versal geography, 16 Vol. iu Oct, Point Coupee, Rapides, Natchitoches, and Ouachitta. To those per sons who merely wish information respecting the country, or design to emigrate to any part of it, these popular names will be of more benefit, than the legal, but less known terms by which the parishes and counties are designated in the legislative and juridicial proceed ings ol the state.

In every inquiry respecting Louisiana, made by those who intend to remove, and obtain actual residence there, the tenure by which landed property is held, is the sirst, and most serious subject for their investigations. As the tenure of land in this state differs so essentially from that of other parts of the United States, I shall be more particular in tracing it to its source, and pointing out ils validity. As the governments of France and Spain never considered public land as a «ource of revenue, the grants were generally small, and made to actual settlers, for specific purposes. The requele, (petition) sets forth the pursuits of the claimant, the number of his family, and the quantity of land desired. The commandants or surveyor's certificate, certified that the land prayed for, was vacant.

The order of survey, directed the com mandant or surveyor, to put the petitioner into possession of the land prayed for, without doing injury to prior possessions. The conces sion, or document of survey, setforth, that on a certain day, and almost always in presence of the neighbouring land owners, the petitioner was put into possession, pursuant to the tenor of the order of survey. When the papers containing the whole of these preliminary proceedings were returned to the land office in New Orleans, the final patent issued, granting the land in (Franc-alleu,) allodial tenure.* In tbis manner were most of the land titles of Louisiana framed. Large grants, such as those of Bastrop, Maison Rouge and the Houmas, were exceptions in principle, and the difference will be pointed out in the sequel to this work.

After the termination of the war between France and Spain, at the commencement of the French revolution, and the provisional recession of Louisiana lo the former, but iew patents for land were issued by the Spanish government in Louisiana. The inhabitants proceeded as usual tn frame their petitions, upon which they easily procured the certificate of the commandant or surveyor, and in many instances, orders of survey were made. When the land offices were opened in New Orleans, and Opelousas under the act of con gress of 27th March, 1804, the commissioners found the land titles of the country composed of all tbe various grades, from the simple petilion, to the complete grant, or patent. The author was himself present at Opelousas, when the land office was opened at that place, in Oct. 1815, and it was indeed difficult to determine, whether the commissioners were less acquainted with the real nature of the papers they were to investigate, or the people of the country with the principles us law or equity, under which their property was to be placed by the new order of things.

The requisitions of the law of the United States, were tardily and See Appendix, No. I. reluctantly complied with ; difficulties created delay, and many years passed away, before the real quantity of land claimed, could be ascertained witb any precision ; and even at this time, when twelve years have elapsed, many of the larger claims are undeter mirif d. After the opening ofthe land offices in Louisiana, tbe commission ers found a number of claims for land held by actual settlement, with out any title from the Spanish government. The United States government recognized these claims, and where ever it was praclicable, six hundred and forty acres were surveyed, and appropriated to each claim. Another species of claim presented itself in the shape of purchases from the Indians. As this mode of procuring land was so repugnant to the policy of the United States, the commissioners did not, per haps, in every instance, make due allowance for the different principles upon which the former and present government, that held Louisiana, had proceeded respecting the Indian tribes.

Those claims were, however, in most instances finally confirmed. The land of Louisiana is generally surveyed in the form of a pa rallelogram, forty arpents deep, from front to rear : this mode, wliich commenced on the banks ofthe Mississippi, was pursued in all other parts of the country. In some ofthe larger claims, this principle was departed from, but in the common tracts, only a few deviations are to be found. The arpent of Paris*, was the universal measure of land, and by it were all grants and sales made. The acre is not yet, and per haps, in respect lo land held under the ancient titles, -never will be introduced into use, in Louisiana Iu lands that may be purchased from the United States, the tenure will always be, and the form of the tracts, in most instances, the same with all other lands, in every part of the United States, derived from similar purchase.

The following is the mode established by law, for the surveying and selling of public lands. I have annexed tbe form of a regular and an irregular township, to illustrate the true intent and meaning ofthe terms section, and its tractions, and the 'manner of numbering, by which the position of any part is known. In Louisiana, innumerable instances occur, where, in the same township, there are private claims, the lines of which run in all di rections ; and pubiic laud, the lines of which are run by the true meridian; this constitutes an irregular township. This admixture of the different modes of surveying the contiguous land held under the various tenures, as before menlioned, takes pkee in all parts ot the Mt is generally, even at this lime, by the arpent, and not by the acre, that transfers of land are made in L. n. isk.i;.. and as '.Ids custom will probably eon. on ie, ,he relative area ought taj he known by emigrants The -olio ving formula contains the elements toreduce the one into the Ar Ac.

Ar. other viz. 605 arpents make 512 acres, slated thus; If 605 : 612 : : 100, aud reversely, if the reduction is from acres to arpents. The' arpent is used also as a measure of lengih, being 180 feet, or 30 toises French, equal to 192 feel English or American feet, nearly, country upon which settlements or grants were made, prior to the 20th December. 1803. There are large spaces of excellent soil, however, upon which no settlements or grants were made, before possession was had hy the agents of the United Slates ; and of course the townships here will be re-jular. From Natchez to New Orleans, and as far below the latter city as the banks of the Mississippi are arable, the French and Spanish grants extend, and though much vacant land was found by the United States surveyors, I believe in no one place was it of sufficient extent to admit of an unbroken township.

The banks of the Lafourche were granted and actually settled upon both sides, about ninety miles from its efflux from the Mississip pi, under the French and Spanish governments. The banks of Red river near Natchitoches, and the Rapide, and in the Avoyelles prairie, were extensively granled and settled. — The Ouachitta river, from its mouth to the entrance of Saline river, in lat. 33° 6' N. was also settled ; and near Fort Miro, to a considerable distance from the river. In Atacapas and Opelousas the grants and settlements commenced upon the Atchasalaya, below the mouth of Teche, and reached to mee'. the grants of Rapide. On the waters ol the Vermilion, Cour tableau and Mermentau, tbe grants were numerous and settlements extensive. In all other parts of the state, the land ceded by the govern ment, was in distant detached spots.

Upon the Sabine and Calcasiu rivers the grants were few ; most of the country remained, and now remains vacant. Above Natchitoches on Red river, the grants and settlements terminated about twenty miles above tbe post. On Oua chitt.-. considerable tracts still continue public property. In the very ex tensive tract belween Opelousas and the N. W. angle ofthe state, following the dividing ridge between Red and Sabine and Calcasiu rivers, the surface is almost entirely vacant. The area between Red and Ouachitta rivers, also continues in a great measure unoccupied. A great portion of that part of West Florida that has been incorpo rated into the state of Louisiana is yet public land. The only arable tract, yet public land, upon which the sui;ar cane can be cultivated successfully, is contained between the Lafourche and Atchasalaya rivers upon the Bayou Bœuf.

This region remained unexplored till after the establishment of the American government. To execute the surveys iq the then territory of Orleans, now state of Louisiana, Mr. Isaac Briggs, then surveyor oi the lands of the United States south ofTennessee, commenced, in the summer of 1805, the operation, by establishing the point where 33Q N. L. crossed the Mississippi river ; that parallel was then extended to Red river, a distance of 148 miles and a fraction. The 31" N. Lat. was extended to Sabine, from the point fixed by Mr. Andrew Ellicott, on the left shore ofthe Mississippi. At the distance from Ellicott's point of 48 miles, a due meridian line was extended north to the 33° N. Lat and south to the swamps upon the gulfof Mexico. These lines thus sur veyed and marked, were ihe basis upon which the iub»equeuj sur veys were performed.

The private claims were extremely complex, and the interferences exhibited on the plan of the annexed irregular townships, were frequent and intricate. The difficulty of determining with precision the extent of private property was one of the many causes that retarded the final adjustment of the claims by the several boards of commissioners. No sales of public land have yet been made in the state of Louisia na ; of course all the settlements yet formed in that state are upon private claims, or by unauthorized locations on the lands of the Uni ted States. The annexed tables will serve to show the relative position, quantity, and quality of soil in the state of Louisiana now claimed by indi viduals, or held by the government of the United States. Crops — Culture. — As a general crop, cotton can be much more extensively cultivated in tbe state of Louisiana than sugar ; the for mer is universal, whilstthe production of the latter isconfined to a very limited extent in the state.

The opposite table was calculated in the country for publication in my tracts on Louisiana. The relative value as established by that computation has been considered correct ; though each article is estimated lower than tbe ordinary price. & Note. The whole extent oi the state ol Louisiana, after deducting one-fifth for swamps, rivers, pine barrens, and other irreclaimable tracts, extends over 53,480,320 American acres. The space allowed for sugar has been descanted on ; a round sum of 2,400,000 acres was assumed for cotton, amounting; to httle more than one-tenth ofthe whole surface. Indigo demanding a richer soil, but a simitar climate with cotton, 2,000,000 cannot greatly depart from tlie surface \ipon which that staple may be cultivated Tobacco caji be raised iu all parts of the slate, but the soil suitable to its growth does not differ widely from that ■qfccesaary for sugalr— a deep vegetable lotifa.

TABLE of ihe heneJHs resulting from fifty effective workmen on a Farm, in Louisiana. Staple. Amount. Price. Annual reve- Acres io Nett Value. nu\f™m. cultivaeach hand employed. The extent that may be found in the state of Louisiana , upon which each staple maybe cultivated. Remarks. Sugar, 150,000 Ibs. 8 cts. per lb. $12,000 $240 150 0,250,000 From this estimate, if all the land in the state, upon which that article could be made, was cultivated in sugar, say 250,000 acres yielding 1,000 pounds per acre, at 8 cents per pound, would give 20,000,000 dollars , Rice, 700 barrels, $6 per barrel, $4,200 084 100 Kice demanding more labour to an equal surface, and producing more, if the rice AorA f\ril\ lands were brought into culture, say U,^OU,UUU 250,000 acres, which yielding 7 barrels per acre, at 6 dollars per barrel, would produce an annual revenue of 10,500,000 dolls. i« Gotton, 60,000 lbs. 15 cts. per lb. $9,000 0130 250 2,400,000 f The cotton lands of tbe state of Louisiana, | will average a produce of 240 pounds of I clean cotton per acre : tbis would amouut of | 576,000,000 pounds, if all the cotton lands I were brought into cultivation— leaving a re- | venue of 86,400,000 dollars Indigo, I 7,000 I Ijs. | $1 |>er lb.

I $7,000 I 0140 2,000.000 I Tobacco, | siO,00Olbs | JSlO per cwi | £ >,357 i2i| 0107 + \ ,500.000 ! Tobacco and indigo could be as extensively cultivated as cotton , but neither of the sormer offers as alluring prospects to the planter as the latter. Tobacco and indigo have each been staples of Louisiana, bul have long been abandoned, and their places supplied by sugar and cotton. To new settlers, and to persons of moderate property, cotton pre sents a more facile source of revenue, even in places where the soil and climate will admit the culture of sugar. On the banks of the Mississippi below the efflux of Plaquemine, on the Lafourche in all its extent, on the Teche below the entrance of the Bayou Fusilier, and on the Vermilion below lat. 30° 12' north, wherever the soil is elevated above the annual inundation, sugar caa be produced.