The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1859-04-19
A DAY ON A RICE PLANTATION.
Tie Culture OF Rice.
From the Salisbury Watchman.

From the Salisbury Watchman.
Mr.. EDITOR: To many Of your readers, doubt
less, the mode of planting and cultivating this
great article of food, is much unknown as if it
were only garden in the East Indies. All, how
ever are acquainted with its excellent qualities
a nourishing diet. Your humble correspondent
having lately paid visit to of the largest rice
plantations on the Cape Fear proposes to give you
some of his observations there.
The plantation which had the pleasure to visit
was that of Col T. d. Meares, of Brunswick, and
in my visit accompanied by its hospitable own
er. The broad fat piece of ground of many acres,
extends along the river and upon adjacent creeks
The land is divided into "tasks" by bitches, run
ming through in every direction-though mostly
crossing each other at right angles. No pows are
used, the whole work being done with broad
short hoe and long narrow one. When a set OF
hands are put into one of these tasks they must
smooth it off, make the little trench rows, sow the
seed and cover it, all in the same day The tasks
are really given to only one, for instance 1t is
the work of one to smooth much ground, of an
other to trench after him, of another to SOW the
seed, ard another to cover it, The numbers OF
these tasks make field, this field is not fenced In
but surrounded by large ditch and an embank-
ment. These are designated as No. l, 2, 3, &c,
and contain TO- Is or 20 acres. There is no fenc-
ing, the great body Of land-containing number
of felds-is surrounded by a large canal.
Having given you faint idea of how the land
lays, we will see how it is cultivated. In the fall
after the rice is cut, soon as perfectly dry, the
stubble is burned off; sometimes the weather will
not allow this, then it remains and is chopped under
in the winter. In December the whole land intend
ed for cultivation it gone with the hoe break
ing clods, &c. In March the planting season be-
gins and from that time onward is a rush. AS
soon as field is planted it is covered with water
and so remains until the rice is pretty we'll grown
The water is then let off and after the field is
gone over with the hoe to chop out grass and work
the rice This is done twice before the crop rpens
The irrigation is managed so that when field is
under water, another may be dry. Several hands
are constantly employed in clearing out bitches
stopping leaks in embankments &c.
Every kind of bird is lover ofrce, and an enc
INV to the interests of the rce-planters, but the
one,most dreaded is the rice-brd or, as is called in
some places, the soarer. 1t is a small bird Of dark
ish brown COLOR with sharp stout bill, with which
it grasps the stalk of rice and squeezes the milk from
it as etfectually as if done with pair of nippers
The only means Of getting rid of them is by powder
and shot, and though thousands upon thousands
are killed. they still appear thick as at first
During the season of killing hogs and dogs upon
the plantation all get fat. The negroes provid
ed with guns and stand upon the banks and Shoot
from morning until night When a flock of these
birds come near rice-feld they swoop down with
a noise like thunder, and the beautiful green rice
stalks fall before them as does the wheat before the
reapers hook Left to themselves, but few min
utes would suffice to clear field, but half dozer
muskets scare them off for time. But few who
do not live in that section have any idea OF the
immense damage which they do to the rice-p planters
and | suppose there is means of correct calcu
lation as they never fail to appear, though more
numerous some years than others. Mr. Meares IN
formed me that last year he consumed 30 pounds
of powder in shooting them, and that one year he
had used as much as so pounds The shot was IL
proportion.
Of late years an extensive trade has grown W
in the rice straw The scarcity of hay and the in
: feriority of the article brought from the Nortl
induced Mr. Meares some years ago to try curee
rce-straw, put up like clover with salt and water
It succeeded we'll and for that which he sent t.
market be found ready sale. Other planter
adopted it and the rice straw is now very generally
used as food for horses, &c. Though by no mean
equal to the hay which you have Mr. Editor, ant
is everywhere in the West yet it is far superior t.
the Northern apology for hay, which has for 81
long been an article Of food in the Cape Fear re
gion. >,
The plantation Of Col. Mcares is one of the oldes
upon the River, there fields in it which hav
been planted regularly for over 40 years and stl
produce luxuriously The machinery for cleaning
the rice is of the best pattern. Mr. Meares wa
among the first planters to introduce lmproF cd ma
chinerv to run by steam. The rice as 1t is sold b
the planter is in the husk, it then passes throug
the rice mill and is exposed for sale in tierces
use it upon the table The rice trade is a larg
source of trade to that section of the State, but
have no statistics before me- cannot tell to wha
omount' A TRAVELLER.