The Cajun Prairie: A Natural History The Cajun Prairie: A Natural History By Malcolm F. Vidrine, Ph.D. The Division of Sciences and Mathematics (Louisiana State University Eunice) and The Cajun Prairie Habitat Preservation Society and The Cajun Prairie Gardens (Eunice, Louisiana) Malcolm F. Vidrine Eunice, Louisiana 2010 Front Cover image: Cajun Prairie is a 14” x 18” color pencil drawing by Corinne Louise Greenberg. http://thegardenisateacher.com Cover designed by Van Reed © 2010 by Malcolm Francis Vidrine
[email protected] ISBN (paper): 978-0-615-36813-9 CIP Data Dedication To my wife Gail; she has carried the burden of doing so many things to permit my interests to grow. And to my children; each provided me with a separate adventure. Like so much else, this book will be part of their legacy. I hope it helps to explain our front yard. May this book also explain many more front yards! v Contents Page Preface ..............................................................................................................................ix Chapter 1 Introduction ........................................................................................ 1 Chapter 2 The people of the prairie .................................................................. 13 Chapter 3 Pre-settlement to 1870s .................................................................... 23 Chapter 4 1870s-1930s ...................................................................................... 47 Chapter 5 1940s-1970s .....................................................................................