The American Cyclopædia (1879)/De Soto

DE SOTO. I. A N. W. county of Mississippi, bordering on Tennessee, and bounded N. W. by the Mississippi river; area, 960 sq. in.; pop. in 1870, 32,021, of whom 17,745 were colored. The surface is generally level, and occupied chiefly by cotton plantations. There are extensive swamps in the W. part. The Mississippi and Tennessee railroad crosses it. The chief productions in 1870 were 25,048 bushels of wheat, 741,363 of Indian corn, 72,977 of sweet potatoes, 191,543 lbs. of butter, and 24,118 bales of cotton. There were 4,359 horses, 4,468 mules and asses, 6,648 milch cows, 10,334 other cattle, 4,760 sheep, and 36,315 swine. Capital, Hernando. II. A N. W. parish of Louisiana, bordering on Texas, drained by Red and Sabine rivers; area, 910 sq. m.; pop. in 1870, 14,962, of whom 9,851 were colored. By means of the Red river it has steamboat communication with New Orleans. The chief productions in 1870 were 321,365 bushels of Indian corn, and 15,809 bales of cotton. There were 1,334 horses, 1,618 mules and asses, 3,110 milch cows, 8,221 other cattle, 4,906 sheep, and 8,620 swine; 7 saw mills and 4 manufactories of carriages and wagons. Capital, Mansfield.