Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1921.djvu/598

 546 UNITED STATES: — LOUSIANA

semi-tropical, the summers being long and hot, the winters more severe than in corresponding latitudes. Agriculture is the leading industry.

In 1910 the State had 120,546 farms with an area of 10,439,481 acres, of which 5,276,016 acres was improved land. The total value of all farm property in 1910 was 301,220,988 dollars. The products and manufactures of Louisiana are very various. The chief crops in 1920 were corn, 1,906,000 acres, producing 36,955,000 bushels ; rice grown on 500,000 acres, yielding 36,595,000 bushels. For 1920 the cotton area was 1,442,000 acres, and the yield 380,000 bales, valued at 26,980,000 dollars. Oats, potatoes, and tobacco are also grown, but not extensively. On January 1, 1921, the State contained 211,000 horses, 166 mules, 209,000 sheep, 1,250,000 swine, and 382,000 milch cows. In 1920 the wool clip yielded 612,000 pounds. '

Louisiana has valuable fisheries. Oyster reefs extend almost continuously along the coast, and the oyster fisheries are the most valuable south of Virginia, the area suitable to planting and growing oysters being over 7,000 sq. miles.

Rich sulphur mines are found in Louisiana, and wells for the extraction of sulphur by means of hot water and air at the surface are in operation. Another mineral worked is rock salt.

The manufacturing industries are chiefly those associated with the pro- ducts of the State: sugar, lumber, cotton-seed, rice. In 1910 there were 2,516 manufacturing establishments which employed altogether 8,103 clerks, &c, and 76,165 wage-earners. The material used cost 134,865,000 dollars, and the output was valued at 223,949,000 dollars. The statistics (1910 census) of the more important industries are given in The Statesman's Year-Book for 1916, p. 531.

Brewing, confectionery, printing, and other works are also prosperous.

A large international trade is carried on through the port of New Orleans, where in 1920 the imports amounted to 252,587,790 dollars, and the exports to 589,409,222 dollars. The exports consisted of cotton and cotton-seed products, wheat, flour, rice, and other produce.

The State has ample facilities for traffic, having, besides 24,900 miles of public roads, the Mississippi and other waterways, with 4,794 miles of navigable water. In 1917 the railways in the State had a length of 5,363 miles, besides (1919) 318 miles of electric railway track. The principal lines are operated by the Illinois Central, Queen and Crescent, Louisville and Nashville, Texas and Pacific, and the Southern Pacific systems.

In 1918, there were 14 savings banks in the State with 100,000 depositors having to their credit 38,863,885 dollars, which is 33864 dollars to each depositor. The bank clearings at New Orleans in 1918 amounted to 2,575,655,000 dollars.

British Consul-General at New Orleans. — Lt.-Col. C. Braithwaite-Wallis.

Books of Reference.

The Reports (biennial) of the various Executive Departments of the State. Johnson (C), Highways and Byways of the Mississippi Valley. New York and London, 1906.

Phelpt (A.), Louisiana. In ' American Commonwealths ' Series. Boston, Mass.