The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1874-03-27
Rice Culture.
A TALK WITH PLAeUEMlNEs RICE
FARMERs.-HIs VIEWS ABOUT THE
PLANTING, CULTTyATTNa AND HAIR
VISITING OF RICE, ETC.
From the Plauuemines sentinel,

tFFoAn Inc E~laquenlneS sentinel
Not long since the writer had O con
yersation with a rice farmer residing il
the lower part of P1aquemines, on tn.
subject OF rice culture, and who is
gentleman OF intelligence and keeI
practical observation.
AS 1t is q subject of no incOnsiderablt
interest, we will attempt to give thu
substance of his remarks and views
about rice and its culture in Louisiana
especially in this parish. +
PLAQUEMINEs A RICE REGION.
Says he, in the first place, Plaque.
mines parish in its whole extent is
splendid rice country, and the day il
not distant when the cultivation of gu.
gar on its lands will be almost aban.
doned, to be succeeded by rice culture
PREPARATION FOR PLANTING.
To prepare for rice planting on this
soil you must pillow up the land as early
as january. AS soon as this blowing is
finished, give the land a sheet of water,
and draw Off shortly after, and then
harrow it. Let it remain in his condi,
ton until time for sorrowing which is
between the Goth of March and the
middle of May. The earliest planted
rice always produces the best yield, and
is not so liable to disease.
The object of this sheet of water and
narrowing is to make the worst enemy
OF the rice spront-tllat enemy being
grass. After the grass sprouts, let the
water i'll again, and remain four or five
days, and while this second sheet of
water is in, the land must again be
thoroughly harrowed-gOod planters
harrow with oxen. Don't let the sheet
of water run off. Put your seed rice in
bags, and submergeSin a ditch of water
for twenty-four hours. These bags of
seed rice thus soaked should then be
placed in the sun, and there remain I'M
til the grain begins to sprout. In this
sprOuted condition SOW it Immediately
in the track OF the harrow in it's work
through the water. If planted early,
twenty-four hours, i'll order to Let the
sediment of the water settle but il
planted later, let the water remain only
twelve hours. The object i'm taking off,
the water in the last instance, is, be-
cause, at that season of the year, tho
sun is warmer, and produces fermen-
tatiOn, which is deleterious to- the
young plant. The planter must now
use all energy and diligence to flee his
ground of every drop of water, and to
let it become entirely dry, because,
otherwise, the young rice will sicken
and perish.
THE GROWTH AND CULTURE.
At this stage there is q race between
the rice and the grass, and let it be re-
membered that grass is the deadliest
enemy of rice. E&@
When the rice has two leaves, or has
attained the height of between three
and four inches, then the water must
be turned ON, and If grassy, entirely
submerged-the field one sheet of water
and thus remain .forty-eight hours.
The object Of this flood is to weaken.
and dwarf the grass, and thereby to
| give the rice the advantage; for let me
tell You that the rice plant win grow
under water, while grass win not-that
is, it will grow for about forty eight
hours, and enough to place it above it's
competitor.
You must now slack the water-that
is, gradually draw it off until You q
just see the tips of the blades of the
young plant, in order, as the Creoles
say, ito give it air" In this condition
keep the water, which is termed the
" long how,n and as the rice. grows in,
altitude, add water a foot deep it it can
be had. Z
When the rice has grown to be about
fifteen inches high, the water is some
what Stacked, or drawn of, in order
that the wedding or agrassing" pros
cess can commence. This is done by
up by the roots all grass and weeds,
and throwing them in piles. After
this "grassing'' and wedding turn in
all the water that can be commanded.
i'm these rice lands, even to the depth of
eighteen inches. This depth of water
must remain until the rice is ready for
harvesting. The work of "grassing''
must be kept up throughout the season,
if necessary, until the water is Stacked
off finally for the grain to harden.
HARVESTING.
The rice being fully ripe, cut it, mind
you, with the sickle, and lay it on the
stubble to dry. In that condition it
must remain for twenty-four to thirty
six hours, or until entirely dry. Then
bind it in sheafs, and at once put in
shocks or stacks, in order to be secure
against weather. When first reaped,
and before being stacked, it can be
threshed and placed in the market in
good condition ; but il it is stacked, it
must not be thresifed for at least six
weeks thereafter, because in stack it
becomes heated, and undergoes q
" sweat and this sweat must. dry
mp. TO be thfesIed or huIled while In
this sweat condition, the grain is.
liable to be broken.
1t is always better to stack, because
stacking, and letting it remain in that
state hardens the grain. Many farmers,
though, can't afford, or won't afford, to
wait.
SEED RICE.
With all the care of the most careful
farmer, the seed degenerates il sown
year after year upon the san1exs soil.
True, it may be alleged that such is the
result in regard to most cereals; but
the rice grain is more delicate, and ex-
perience proves that it degenerates
mor rapidly than other grains.
TO remedy this, the rice grown in one
section of the State one year ought to
be planted in another section the next
year, and SO on from year to year. For
instance, the rice that. is grown in the
parish of Laf0urcke sll0Hld be planted
grown III Plaquemines planted in La
fourche. Or plant the seed grown in
the Carolina districts. Tie fact, how
ever, that rice seed from one or any
particular locality IS necessary to pro-
duce a good crop, is erroneous.
RED RICE.
I'm harvesting there is O large amount
Of the grain left, broadcast upon the
fields, being shattered from thesIleaVes.
In the FIRST flooding of the field for the
next succeeding season; 1t, OF course,
sprouts; and iii taking cOmpani0nship
with that which has been freshly soWn
it somewhat changes its character, and
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