Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-09-30
RICE GROWING IN CAROLINA.
A Proposition to Plant other Crops
An Important Experiment.

proposition to Plant hther Crops
An Important Experiment.
From the Charlsston Ne,os and Courier.
The News and Courier received Thurs
day letter from a South Carolina rice
planter now residing in Washington, in
which the subject of rice planting In this
State is considered from a point of view
TO which our planters have recently given
much attention. Tee writer of the letter
states that he has called the attention Of
factors dealing in rice, and the planters
of that staple. to the necessity of getting
some eminent chemist to examine the
rice lands and see il there is not some
other esculent which can be probably
grown in place OF rice. This suggestion
was made to quite number of the plan
ters, and they all were agreed as to the
advisability OF such course.
The reason for the proposed adoption of
some other product in place OF rice is, as
well known, the imDractlcability of rails
ing that cereal under the present con-
dItions of labor with anything like
profit. 1t is estimated that for the
present year the prices to be obtained
will scarcely more than pay the cost OF
production.
A reporter talked the matter over with
a member of one nt the largest rice-deal-
ing houses in the city Thursday a&ernOon,
and considerable light was thrown upon
the subject OF the abandonment OF rice
growing as profitable industry. 1t was
found, the representative of this firm said,
several years ago that there must be IA
revolution in the manner OF cuitivatinE
The cereal, or the profit of the bu jipess
would be materially, and, perhaps, fatal
~ impaired. 1t is a known fact that rice
planting in South Carolina is attended
with too serious difficulties, one Of these
being The inconstant supply OF labor. aud
the other the rate OF pay given TO the la
borers. Very often crop failed on ac-
count of the inability of the planter to pro-
cure labor at The required time, and pro-
yidng ne tided over that difficulty and
made fair crop at the end of the season,
he would ind that he had, deducting his
expenses, an extremely small, II any.
margin ofprott. Owing to these facts the
rice planters have been for some time
willing to plant anything else which
might afford better chance Tor profitable
cultivation. With this in view expert
mpnts have been made with jutp, the
plant which has been found TO flourish in
such lands as those of the rice tielda
w bile the plant grew and matured we'll
mere il has been found that the labor d fiji
Guilty was an element that ccu'd not lie
eliminated. at least in the rice tield sec
ton OF the State. In other words, 1t was
cult 10 get for the cultivation OF jute as
for that OF rice. 1t was generally under
stood that the jute idea had BEEN ahan-
doned, although IL could not be DEM ed
that, under proper conditions, 1t could
be probably raised.
The cultivation OF hav had also been
suggested as a substitute for the rice in
duStry, as il was found that a very good
quaI:y OF hay could he grown on the rice
fields. Both hay and witches were expert
mented with very larGey, but with little
success. The difficulty was that although
hay could be raised at a much less cost
than rice. there was not a sufficiently
large market to warrant the planters in
going into the business on large scale.
Besides, it would be almost impracticaule
To compete with the Northern producers
oil hay.
1t appears, therefore, that the remedy
| for the existing evils in rice planting lies
! not IN the substitution Of another crop,
! but ia the discovery and adoption of some
method of cultivation which will reduce
tie planters expenses. An experiment
in that direction is now being made. The
plan is a simple one. IL is proposed to
keen field, from which the rice nas been
cut, under water from the harvest until
the planting time in the succeeding sea-
son. BY this means IL is eXpec ed tn at
the expensive operation of blowing Will
be unnecessary, and that when the water
in the spring time Is withdrawn from
such field the laud will be in condition
for the reception Of the grain. This eX.
pertinent has in fact bt en- tried this pres
ent season on II ten.acre field, aud the re-
sui Is said 10 be very encouraging.
IL the experiment should prove to be
all that IL il expected TO be IL will 20 far
towards revolutIoniZing the industry aud
secure the planting OF the rice at such
reduced cost az 10 make the business
much more profitable than at present. !
The special advantages Of the method |
now under experiment are very apparent. |
Ii need be plantation may he divided, |
one half TO be LETT under wafer while the
other half is nOminally under cultivation. |
and the fields alterpatcd each year. the |
gentleman who Is now experimenting |
with the ten.acre field says that If the |
plan prove successful he Will treat tour !
hundred acres in the same way the next
season.
MnynONpr and Gnlatpa