The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1881-10-15

II FROM the y. ~. Aofuf2EIf-I
II THE cultipation Of rice in this ser
lition is annually assuming proportion
II OF greater magnitude. Before th
/ late war it nearly reached the yield d
! 2DD,00a,000 bushels yearly; after th
: war It's cultivation was resumed on
= large scale, md in 1870 the hnrves
WIS about f4,Oo0,0D0 bushels. 1'hi
years crop throughout tbesGuIf Sssate
!, will reach, SO snvs South Garolini
journal, nearly a50,1D0.OD0 bushels.
Rice is cereal of the grass species
1t is indigenous to Inaia, and Also 1,
some parts Of fiiiscoatinent. 1tcom
lpriscs many rarietias, of which a6u
are found in the Island of Ceyler
alone. Three fhonsand wears ago. nc
curding 10 modern authors who hav,
ronsulted Chinese authorities, 1t was
introduced, from 1ndin, into the Flow
cry Kingdom, and within few years
became the principal food OF The
masses of that popnlens empire. From
ltimc immemurial this important cereal
war cultivated in India, tho low coun-
try 10 the southern part of the penilr-
srila of Hindustan, which is rcticniated
by isnnmerable rivers and streams,
being admiralty adapted to it's produe-
ton. Ut is, in fact, the iprincipal---and
ii also might be said the only---article
of food fur over 5O0,D0O.00O of human
beings, or of one.third of fl,e entire
| population of the globe, for its nse is
general in Asia, Africa, Southern En-
rope and semiltropical and inter4tropi-
cal America.
a tradition is current that rice was
first introduced into this country in
fheproNince of Virginia, by Sir William
Berkeley, in the year le47; but no GER
titled record of This event is extant.
The first authentic account we have.
of the Introduction of this cereal Into
the United States, is an extract from
70 message read by Governor Alston.
He said: AtMadagascar rice was first
brought into the State of South Car
olina about the close of the nth cen
tury.o A South Carolina planter.
while examining samples Of rice, no
itined many seed that were much larger
than the rest lie selected a handful
and planted Thorn The experiment
proved . success, and the variety so
well known throughout this country
as long rice, is the Legitimate descend
ant OF this planters selected seed.
As years passed, the scnltwafien of
rice hecame general In South Carolina,
and also in other Gulf States That
variety. commonly called wet rice was
the principal erep, for the upland or
dry rice was not popular with Aneri
can planters for many wears after the
wet rice had been clilsiirated.
There Is no State inflle South where
this valuable cereal can De eiiltivated
with more success and profit, than
Louisiana. The numerous streams.
sbayons and rivers that cut through die
Commonwealth ID all directions, and
which form a complete Network of
waterways, irrigate and ffucfify fhc
greater part Of our riph Iands. iii st.
Charles parish tile rnltivaEion If fheI
grain has been found 80 profitable, and
the sail mud climate ID seperv way So
uopge,iial 10 ii perfect development.
that thousands IF acres FORMERLY dc 1
voted TO other crops have been, fsrflp I
past ten years, sow,n with rice. Mfitllinl
the last wear or two. lis cultivation Inns