The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1882-02-08
Upland Rice Culture.
. j. Reading, in Southern Cultivator.

| COt. IL. u. IleUUtUy, tH IoOtUteFH SUttICttOT.
Until within few years past, the
idea was very prevalent tina; rice
could not be profitably grown except
on marshy or low lands. We re-
member, when a boy, some of the
older negroes on our fathers plan
tation, especially some who came
from the Glow country" used to have
their little crops ofrice. 1t was their
invariable practice TO appropriate
very low, wet spots about the spring
heads-places considered too wet
for any other crop-tor this purpose.
History informs us, that rice has been
grown in nearly all the countries of
the world, and on dry upland as well
as in the swamps. 1t grows in Sibe-
ria as well as in China. 1t has been
found growing wild on the shores OF
the Northern lakes in this country.
While it Is undoubtedly true that rice
grows and produces better on moist,
low lands, it by no means follows
that its culture must be restricted to
tide water regions. In every section
of the country, east Of the MisslS>
sippi, there are many situations that
are adapted to producing large crops
Of this cereal. Even the high, dry
uplands will produce good crops
with favorable seasons. The piney.
woods region of the Atlantic and
Gulf States is we'll adapted to its
growth, and it is becoming staple
crop in many countries, under the
stimulus of the high prices that have
prevailed as consequence OF the
great decentralization of labor in the
old rice regions OF the South. On the
old lice estates the prevailing system
seemed to require, necessarily, q
large force of laborers under one dl-
rection, and the shock OF emanci>
patton was more disastrous 10 low
Land rice culture than to any other
special industry inathe South.
Another tact-not generally ap>
preciated-is, that upland rice is
really OF better quality than that
grown in more southern localities.
The cultivation Of rice is very sim
pie. The variety. best adapted to
dry culture is known as Carolina
white rice. A sandy loan is the best
soil. The land may be prepared as
if for cotton, and the seed may be
sown and covered in the same way
and at about the same time that cot
ton is planted. One peck of seed is
ample for an acre. Even less will do
if the seed be dropped-about ten or
twelve in a place-every eighteen
inches. If sown continuously, like
cotton, the cultivation may be almost
precisely similar 10 that OF cotton,
barring off the plants, if grassy, with
a ,urn-plow, chopping out with a
wide hoe and thinning to eight or
ten plants in hill. The main object
is to keep the grass down SO that the
rice may have undisturhed possess
ion.
The time Of ripeninG Of dry culture
rice depends Oh the character of the
seasons, perhaps more than that OF
any other grain. The crop is ready
to harvest when the grains at the top
have turned yellow and are pretty
hard and the bottom grains are still
in the dough state. The work is
usually done with a sickle, though
stout grain cradle with rather short
sharp blade, can be used if the straw
is not very thick and stout, and with
much greater expedition. The cut
grain should be thoroughly dried IN
the sun before hauling up, and may
then be threshed ON any good spike
wheat 1hresher. The cleansing OF the
grain has been considered great
desideratum, and the want of small,
cheap mill tor plantation use, has
been great drawback on rice cul>
ture on uplands. But it rice be grown
tor a money crop, the rough rice is
considered a good marketable torn,
and usually commands from one dol.
lar and a quarter TO one dollar and a
half per bushel.