The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-12-23
Cuitivating Rice.


rice for home use. where his land and the
sissippi writer in the Southern ClLltiUdtor
One acre of land well cultivated (which
may be land already under fence and not
suitable for any other CROP will generally
produce thirty to forty bushels Of the
rough grain, turning out about 500 pounds
of cleaned rice. las much as seventy-five
bushels of rough rice have been gathered
from one acre in this section Of Mississippi.
grown by cultivation, but this was an un-
usual yield) 1t is safe to say, think.
that no crop will yield as much food, for
the amount of labor and land employed to
produce it, as rice, one or two acres produc-
ing as much as an ordinary family can con-
sumo in year.
The manner of cultivating it is simple.
And allow me to say first that there is no
distinction between upland and lowland
rice; there are two distinct species, though
we have different varieties. The rice grown
by irrigation becomes upland rice if planted
upon upland and cultivated. The manner
of planting and cultivating is substantially
as follows: II new land or first years land
is selected land it is best to select this if you
have it, as it will pay better in rice than
anything else) run burrows in the new land
about two and half feet apart, drill the
rough rice and throw two burrows on an
occasional chopping down Of weeds and
sprouts will suffice, which may generally be
done during wet spells when but little else
can be done in other crops profitably. The
middles may be plowed cut when the rice is
well rooted.
The mode of culture in old land is differ
$ emit, as we have grass to contend with. The
land may be thrown up in ridges, say two
and half feet apart. Open ridges about
three inches deep with very small plow,
making a small straight furrow. An old
fashioned block cotton opener is preferred;
cover with harrow and board when the rice
is up about an inch high; if very grassy or
foul take very sharp cotton scraper and
shave off rice, grass, etc., all together, be-
ing careful not to go deep enough to dis
turb the roots Of the rice In a few days
the rice will be out thick and clean. As
soon as the rice will bear it work the dirt
to it with a sweep. The rice will soon be
Independent of any grass that MAJ come
up, and the crop easily kept clean.
Il is best to plant about April l lit will.
however, do very well to plant in the month
of May. putting in about one bushel to the
acre.
Rec intended for table use should not be
harvested until thoroughly ripe, which is
about the last OF August. 1t may be cut
with common reaphook; let it be tied in
bundles of convenient size, and thrashed out
by taking a bundle at time and bringing
the grain end one or two good raps across a
barrel or log, having sheet spread out on
the ground to catch the grain. There is al
ways more or less of the grain not fully
matured which should be left on the straw
for stock, as it is too soft to hull. One or
two good raps will be sufficient to get all
the matured rice. The straw should be pre-
served, as it is valuable food for stock in
winter. | would remark here, that quart
of rough rice once a week to a horse will
keep shin healthy, and have been credibly
informed that little thrown to hogs occa-
sionally will prevent cholera and other dis
eases.
As to the mode, and machinery used for
hulling the grain and preparing it for table
use, have this to say: There are but two
processes known or used; one is securing or
rubbing; the other pounding or pestling.
The machine constructed upon the rubbing
principle is not durable and will not remove
the inner coating. Not durable because the
husks of rice, being more like sand paper
than anything else it could be compared to
soon wears it out. The machine con-
strucJed upon the pounding principle re-
moves both the outer and inner coating (or
hulls), and if made of good material is very
durable. The machinery used in our large
rice mills is very expensive. hence it cannot
be adopted by the people to clean rice at
home for their own use, and it will not pay
to send the whole crop to large mills, pay
ing toll and freight both ways, besides los
ing the greater portion of the rice before it
can be consumed. Rice is delicate grain,
and will soon must or be attacked by in
sects after it is hulled, but may be kept
perfectly sweet in the rough for two or
three years. On account of the trouble
and expense of shipping it off to have it
cleaned, as well as the loss sustained from
spelling, and the old process of beating it
by hand in the common mortar being too
slow and laborious, but few of our people
raise it. Owing to these facts, the idea was
suggested to me of perfecting some simple
cheap and durable contrivance for this pur-
pose. / worked at it about two years be-
fore I succeeded in perfecting a machine
that would answer the purpose. l soon
found that nothing upon the rubbing prin-
ciple would do, as the machine Cfor reasons
already given would soon wear out and be
worthless. finally concluded to take the
principle of the old hand mortar and pestle
as starting point, and endeavor to utilize
it so as to reduce the time and labor, and
am happy to say that / have succeeded in
perfecting machine upon the pounding
principle that does the work well. removing
the inner as well as the outer hull, that can
be bought for $25. As an evidence of
its success, would say that buy rough rice,
hull it on the hand machine myself, giving
my family all they want at cost tthe
cleaned rice) of less than cents per pound.
and it is sweeter than usually found in
stores. If / raised the grain taking out
the value of the straw as food for cattle and
mules in winter would consider that it cost