The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1886-12-15
FLOODING A RICE FIELD.
TURNING ON WATER TO FORCE
THE PLANTS GROWTH.
A Glimpse of a Southern Rice Plan
tation-Amphibiou Treatment
of the Rice,


of the Rice,
In an interesting article on a Southern
rice plantation, Hugh N. STAIRS says in
the BiC0Udc.: As soon as the germ root
pushes out underneath the grain in search
for food, a minute point is visible above
ground, reaching up for light and air.
This is the embryo stalk, and corresponds
with the germ root The plant is now
in proper shape for forcing, and the
stretch water should be put on at once.
1t sometimes happens, however, that
the water, from tidal or other causes, is
delayed, and the point, which is similar
to that of barley or wheat, only sharper
and more delicate, divides and assumes
the fork" stage, and the stretch that
follows is from the fork instead of from
the point. This contingency is unde-
sirabe, as the plant is thereby some
what lessened in vitality.
The water is at first turned on deep,
entirely covering the surface Of the
squares, and the young plant, drinking
in the life-giviug fluid, commences to
rear its head aloft and reach up for light
and air. The river water is seldom clear
always more or less tinged with mud
and the tender shoot battles manfully
with its semi-translucent covering to
bask in the comforting rays of the sun.
After the rice has become sufficiently
stretched, or a few inches high-a
period extending through from two to
ten days--the water is Stacked down
to what is known as SLACK water
gauge" so as to show the tops of the
plant and give it necessary air and
sunshine. Ii the plant is longer than
the water is deep, which is generally
the case it floats its upper leaves on
the surface m long waving lines across
the squares-a singularly attractive and
beautiful picture.
1t seldom happens, however, that the
whole plantation is under the same
treatment at the same time for, with
five or six hu dred acres to SOW, it is
a difficult matter in early spring, with
frequent Interruptions from rains and
bad weather, to seed down so large an
acreage in time for utilizing any one
spring tide for flowing. A large plan
tation will run five or six grain drills
at once, and put in sometimes sixty
five or seventy acres daily but even
with as rapid work as this it is impossi-
BILE to get all in contemporaneously
Consequently it is a common thing to
see perhaps one-fourth of the squares
under the stretch water another fourth
under charge of the ''gun squad" wait
ing for the tender point 10 shoot an
other series under the sprout water, and
the remainder in process of planting, all
at once. This necessarily adds greater
interest and diversity to the process and
prospect.
Sometimes, too, the rice comes up
mixed with 'volunteer;" this is the pro-
duct of the grain shaken out during the
previous harvest and scattered broad
cast over the land. This can generally
be removed by the hoe, but where it is
very thick it sometimes necessitates re
plowing and seeding, thus throwing late
portion of the crop. This volunteer
rice is hardy and prolific, and externally
similar to white rice, but the OBJ ,ection
to it is that the berry is red, and greatly
reduces the grade OF rice with which it
is mixed, besides totally uniting it for
seed. To destroy this obnoxious tare, the
fields are sometimes thrown into dry
crops for year or two, or kept under
water for like time.
1t will be remembered that each square
is under separate control, and, except
two or more are temporarily united by
the check bank washing through, can be
flowed and drained independently at the
pleasure of the p anter.
A walk over the banks of plantation
at this period is replete with interest at
every step the ''tiddlers, ~ scurrying from
under your feet and ducking into their
holes, each one as he disappears waving
aloft in defiance his dIsproportionate
manicle Yonder are small squads of
in fxuO apA
with long wooden rakes the floating
trash and stubble blown by the wind in
masses against the lee banks, and pilinp
it on the pathways. Over there the rattle
of the grain drills is heard seeding
down the few belated squares. Here
is the trunk-minder with his assistant
hard at work repairing ltak On the
canal bank is the overseer in consulta-
ton with the planter on his daily visit to
the fields, Ms little sail boat rocking at
the wharf down by the quarter. Atten-
ton is called to defective trunk or a
dangerous bank stretch water. to NOR
row, must be turned on number six and
number eight, and sprout water let of
from seventeen and twenty-three. The
long cord of the submerged thermome-
ter Is drawn in hand over hand, its read
ing carefully taken, and the mean tenn
perature of the water for the month i'm
the overseer's handy note book is com
pared with that of last year, and de-
pendent operations dGduced and de-
termined. From the high and dry
squares on the further side comes the
casual pop of the musket. while hocks of
DAVIS and hungry crows circle overhead,
awaiting their opportunity to settle
down on the sprOuting grain Every
thing works in its appropriate groove
and little is left to chance.
The stretch water is held at the slack
gauge from twenty to forty davs, when
the ''dry root" and the leaves correspond
ing to it have put out. The amphibious
and pampered plant has now had enough