The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1881-04-06
INLAND Rice.
: Southern Planter aud Farmer.

During a recent VIslt 10 Ihe De'
partment of Agriculture at flashing
ton. the Commissioner, who is ever
ON the alert TO extend among 1arm'
ers any and every information tonch'
ING their calling by which they are
benefited, kindly called our atten,
ton to a sample of upland rice, "
grown in Japan, that he had Just re-
ceiyed from the American Consul at
Kanagawn. Though not so attrac-
tive looking as the Carolina rice (the
golden and other varieties> We are
told that this is one Of the most valu,
able cereals in use in China ana
Japan.
We really can see no reason why
its culture may not be successful in
this country-why t.may not, at an
early day, become one OF our leading
Agricultural products, We are
strengthened in this opinion by what
we learned through the Commas
sioner, who has given this subject
great deal OF thought and most
thorough investigation. AS informed
by him, there are two general varie-
ties OF the rice plant (Oraz0 sdtiUa),
"upland" and "lowland."
The great bulk of the rice product
of the world is lowland rice, but the
upland variety is grown in all Asiatio
countries. In some of the richest
provinces of China, the tax OF tribute
collected in kind, and sent to Pekln
tor the Imperial use, consists, III
great part, OF upland rice.
The lowland variety, IN all cases
require low, level soil, susceptible
of being flooded several times during
the season. The labor required for
it's production is immense. The plot
of ground must be embarked SO as
to hold the water, and the soil, after
being flooded and exposed to the
sun, bakes and is worked with great
difficulty.
On the other hand, the upland rice
is grown ON high, dry ground, and in
ordinary climates requiring no lrrI.
CATION the dry soil is easily and
cheaply prepared for the seed, and
needs no expensive system OF irrlga-
ting bitches aud embankments.
It is safe to say that the labor in
japan of producing an acre OF up>
land rice, in less than half that re-
quired for the lowlald; and it may
not be more than third. 1t is
grown in all the kens or districts of
Japan, and in any soil adapted to
wheat and corn.
The soil Is plowed with the Chi
nese pillow, drawn by one animal,
. usually COW or bull, but sometimes
by horse, or it Is dug up with a
mattock. The seed rice is sown in
drills about eighteen or twenty
inches apart, in April or May. In
the drills, before the seed is planted,
a compost of decomposted straw,
closet manure and ashes it strewn,
upon which the seed is dropped-one
to one and halt bushels to the acre.
The soil is dug up between the drills
three or four times to keep it loose
and destroy weeds. Two or three
times during the growth OF the pant,
small quantities OF liquid manure are
poured on the ground at its root
The ordinary height of the plant
when matured, is about the same as
that OF wheat or barley; sometimes,
from extra manuring, it attalns a
heigh: of four and even five feet.
1t is ready for harvest iii Septem-
Der or October, and is cut in Japan
with the sickle or knife, and thrashed
as wheat or barley. 1t is huIled the
same as lowland rice. Any acre OF
land that will produce good crop
OF wheat, will bring thirty bushels of
upland rice. In Japan an acre pro.
duces forty bushels. The weight of
bnshel of this hulled rice is from
sixty TO sixty-one and halt pounds.
The analysis OF this rice as given
by Parcy, Edward Smith, and Parks
is: tt
heterogeneous matter. T.55
Starch. -------------.------.- oo'63
DexpWne- ---.------.---.'..-' 4.OU
y1natter. .---....-.--.--. go
CelluloSe-. ----.-----.------------ l,IO
Mineral. OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. 80
10000
BY way OF comparison, take an
analysis from the same authorities OF
flour obtained from 100 pounds OF
wheat, the highest quantity obtain.
able being eighty pounds:
WATER II. &c
FATTY matter sc
heterogeneous matter. ... Lies
DextTine and sugar. SIT