The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-08-30


from MIR. Guignard, his representative. Having
stated ourEobject, Mr. Guignard said that il was
his belief that the crop would be slightly under
that OF last year. the difference being due TO The
loss in acreage. All in all the crop of this season
will be better in quality than last years. but such
rice as Is coming in now Ia not very good, il
having been cut before sweating. The better
! yield OF this season was due to the recent high
water, which furnished all that was necessary
lor lrrlgatlng parposes, and the indications were
That the production would be about fourteen bar
rels to the acre.
The crop was little backward, however. and
| IN N Plaquemines they bad to plant several times
in some cases, owing 10 the backing OF the salt
water OF the Gulf. which had invaded some OF
the plantations. The irreguarity With which
This comparatively new business OF rice dealing
| was conducted was the cause OF low prices last
season, and he attributed the decline, among
other things, to the consignment OF the staple to
people not In the business. He had known of
snoemakers, taiiors aud even jewelers. receiving
nee, VINO, not knowing what to do with il, would
entrust IL to brokers who would sell at any price
in order to secure their commission, He feared
that the difference In yield would not make up for
| the loss In acreage.
A. soCoIA.
MIR. A. Socola's house iB probably the largest
rice house in this market, and he is Justly proud
OF the success which has attended his efforts to
improve the culture OF the staple in Louisiana, In
quantity, from twenty thousand to over one hun
dred and seventy thousand barrels in a very few
years. and in quality TO equal the rice produced
in any other section Of the country. We we're
welcomed by this gentleman, who expressed him.
self ready to answer ali our questions. The re-
suit OF our interview was that Mr.. Soccla thought
the crop would be equal, and even larger. than
that OF last year. As TO tho quality il would be
Tar BETTER and the yield universally greater, owing
to good weather and plenty of water. and that it
would fully compensate for the loss in quantity
planted.
Below the city the crop was very good, al
though he himself had to plant second time,
Another reason why the crop would make q good
showing was that it had been planted earlier gem
orally. He estimated that the average price of
rice last year was "a cents, but the low prices
we're not due TO too large crop or too small a
demand. On the contrary, the demand comes
even from the Carolinas, because our crop natures
earlier than theirs, and he had now some orders
from the South Atlantic States. Even now the
prices are low, although there is very little stock
IN this market, as well as in those Of the West.
This Was due to several causes, one OF which was
that there we're too many people not
in the business. who received rice,
and hence disposed OF it without caring
much for the interest OF planters. Another wac
cago to purchase Of receivers who could not sf-
ford to hold back and were anxious TO be reinn-
bursed the advances made by them to planters.
Otherwise, and with the establishment Of rice
exchange, rice would always command paying
figure. This'was illustrated in all cases wuere
factors had sufficient capital to enable them to
hold back. Last year those had sold rice con-
signed to them as high as TX cents per pound.
making q difference OF az cents per pound from
the average, or between Sc and 81 per barrel.
FELIX P. SEWN.
Mr.. SEWN is another leading rice factor of this
city whose correspondents sre principally in La
fourche. He was satisfied that the crop would be
short in that section of Louisiana but believed
that the river the yield would be go good as to
compensate for the deficiency. His information
was that in quality the rice this season was far
superior to that OF last year. On the whole MIR.
SEWN Was Of the opinion that the crop would be
equal or nearly 80, to the large one of last year
that is of course, il the weather continued to be
We next visited Mr..
JAS. M. WALSH,
whose impressions were different. In his opin-
ion the crop would fall short OF that of last year.
possibly not much 30, but he was indeed disposed
to make wager on his opinion. The crop would
be short because so many planters had aban-
doned the culture of rice this year, he among
others, owing to the low figures brought last
year. However, he believed that the result In
dollars would be equal, at least, TO that of last
year. owing TO the superior quality Of the rice q
TACT which was due to early planting this season.
COLUMBUS II. ALLEN.
In order to take in every branch Of the rice
business, the reporter first paid visit to the ex-
Eenaive rice mill of Columbus H. Allen, ESQ.,, on
rchonpitoulas, near Lafayette street, where he
T. 49,
Tie Of machinery, the whirr Of wheels and deep
sound Of the Founders gave the place an air Of
unusual energy. After hunting fer some time for
Mr.. Allen among the hnrrying workmen, the re-
porter at last found him end proceeded to inves-
tigate him.
Reporter-From the present outlook. Mr.. Allen.
Whas DO You think the coming crop will amount
MIR. Alien-It is all mere guess-work, for three
quarters OF the crop is now standing in the field
subject to all the contingencies of storm and
'ain And rice, when it 10 being harvested, if it
9 caught on the ground, is very seriously dam
ICED. Unfortunately, this is our rainy season,
ind it is very remarkable when we have a good
season for harvesting, for it comes in our rainy
lime. There is twenty-five TO thirty per cent
acreage this year less than there was last.
nave been over the rice section and find this to
De the reduction in planting. II we make 300, 600
barrels of rough and 10000 clean rice we will be
ioing remarkably well. That's my candid opn-
on, and I'm not interested in buying OF selling.
Rep.--Whv was this reduction in planting?
Mr.. A.-Onr lands get oyerrun with grass
q about three years, and is not longer ft for
ice piantiog without the owners, at large ex-
ense, clear their fields OF it. We have not the
lde waters, as they do in the Carolinas, to use
o killing IL, and the expense would be immense
0 pump water up, some thirty feet sometimes.
0 kill out this underground. Planters on large
Gale have to give up this crop at the end Of about
hree years
Rep.-On smaller places it can be kept ND con.
nuously?
Mr. A.-oh, yes; for these can be kept clear.
he grass known as the Riz Deslonds 80 overrnns
field to drive it ont, and to eradicate il every
pear must be pulled up by hand.
Rep.-With this reduction in acreage, will not
10 prices be increased?
MIR. A.-Certainly; think they must, With
10 war in Europe, the famine in Indis, prices
ust go up for the markets will have to depend
D Louisiana and the CaroIinas. The reports
ON the Agricultural Bureau show that this coun-
dOes not raise mora than ahaut nna-haK the