The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1871-09-19
Cultivation of Rice.

ID ICE is cultivated very extensively
III in warm countries, and is used by
more people as an article of food than any
other cereal, except wheat. In the East
Indies it is grown on vast tracts of marshy
land, where no other crop is ever raised
to advantage. In China and Japan rice
is brought to the highest state OF perfec-
ton, and in favorable seasons the crop is
very large. On some of these Eastern
plantations it is claimed that successive
crops have been raised for a period of
over two thousand consecutive years.
This succession of crops does not appear
to impoverish the land, but it continues
to yield profitable returns without any
signs of exhaustion This result is gener-
ally attributed to the natural fertility of
the soil, which is rendered continuously
productive by the use of liquid manures,
which are applied twice during the season
of drouth.
About two-thirds of the inhabitants of
warm countries live almost exclusively
on rice, and its nutritive strength is greatly
in excess of most other kinds of grain.
Land given up to the cultivation Of rice
is plowed in Winter, and at the earliest
opening of Spring is flooded by natural
or artificial irrigation. The preparation
of the ground is very important The
soil is made as mellow as possible, and soon
after the seed is sown in trenches about
fifteen inches apart About three bushels
of seed is allowed to each acre. The seed
is lightly covered with soil, and tho water
is again let in and allowed to remain
about one week, by which time the grain
sprouts. The water is then drawn off; /;
but when the grain is up few inches
above the earth the crop is second time
flooded for period not exceeding four or
five days Subsequently the rice remains
without disturbance for month or six
weeks, after which the ground is thor
oughly cultivated and the soil loosened up
about the roots of the young plant. This
process of flooding and cultivation is again
repeated at the proper time. At length
the water is let on for the last time,
where it is allowed to remain until the
crop is matured, which generally takes
place in about two months. The water
is then drawn off and the crop harvested.
The grain is threshed and cleaned in a
mill; before being hulled it is called
"poddy" There are extensive mills in
various parts of the world for hulling and
cleaning rice, and the best of these cost
from SIS, 900 to $4,000.
Rice is frequently sent to market with
out being hulled; but when properly pre-
pared for food the grain is both clean and
assorted. The latter process is performed
by means of screens, which separate the
middling or inferior grain from the prime
or "prince rice" The latter quality is
again cleaned, when it appears very bright
and plump, and commands an extra price
from the consumer.
Rice is cultivated very extensively in
South Carolina, and other Southern States.
The finest Carolina is said to be the best
variety in the world The aluvial swamp
or bottom lands lying along the banks Of
rivers and having deep rich soil com
posed of decayed vegetable matter, is best
fitted for the cultivation of this cereal
This land can be flooded at pleasure by
artificial means. The fields have strong
embankments to hold the water in check
or, when it becomes necessary, to drain
the land of its superabundant moisture
There are several varieties of rice, and
some kinds are grown on dry upland
but the water rice is pronounced the most
nourishing. 1t natures rapidly, and the
straw often attains growth of five or si2
feet in length.