MINERAL RESOURCES. The only minerals of importance in the State are rock and petroleum. The former occurs in rich deposits on Petite Anse Island, in the Parish of Iberia. in the marshes of the coast. The product is wholly mined rock salt of fine quality. The output in 1895 was 159,775 barrels of 280 pounds. and in 1897 this had in creased to 209,393 barrels.
The potable waters of the highlands are usually hard in the limestone regions, and often are fetid where found in the dark clays and li,gnites.
Southwestern Louisiana shares with the neigh boring Texas region in the possession of oil fields. A number of productive wells have been obtained, giving much promise of the future commercial value of the State's oil resources.
FisnEniEs. Louisiana ranks second among tho Gulf States in the total value of its fisheries. The last year for which a record has been ob tained for the industry(1897)showed a slight in crease over 1890, the value of the product for the former year being estimated at $713.587. There
were in 1897 4403 men engaged in the industry, most of them on the 'inshore or boat fisheries.' The oyster fisheries are the most valuable on the United States coast south of Virginia, the yield having been worth (1897) $432,668. The oyster reefs extend almost continuously along the south ern coast, from the border of the State of Missis sippi to the mouth of the Atchafalaya River. The seine fishery, which is tributary to New Orleans, is of less importance than formerly. although the chief variety, shrimp, is taken in larger quantities than in ony other State. The trot-line fishing," for catfish is also the most extensive in the United States. ln many districts the supply of alliga tors is becoming exhausted, and the catch is de creasing% Though the value of the hide has greatly increased, the annual amount received for the total catch remains about constant.