The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-09-07
RAIN In THE RICE FIELDS
PLANTERS APPREHENsIVE ABOUT
THE CROP.

Harvested Rice Has Begun to sprout-
overRrown Rice Blown Down and IL
ia Sproutins, Too-DanRer of Over
ripened Grain Spelling Before it Can
be Harvested-With Fair Westhsr
the Damage viii be Light.
Few people in Savannah, aside from
planters, know that If the rains Of each
wee prevail a fortnight longer the rice
crop will be nearly total loss. Such is the
condition Of affairs, however.
A PROMISING OUTLOOK
Ten days OF two weeks ago, the crop was
the most promising for many years. The
dry, open season had caused the grain TO
grow we'll and mature nicely, aud planters
had begun to cut and stack it in fine condi-
ton. The outlook was splendid, and il was
expected that the entire crop would have
been in the stack in a very short
time A large quantity was shocked
before the rains began, and the
ground was full of grain, cut on the stubble.
lt was dangerous time for rain, and the
planters began to feel blue when the
weather changed. The entire crop was IN
condition to lie ruined in a very short time.
The rlpened grain, by standing in the field
too long, would become overripe, which
shortens the yield as much as the damage
by rain. The stacked portion was as
liable to damage by rain as the
quantity cut on the stubbls and the
damage TO overgrown grain was as great as
either These were the dangers confront
ing the planters ten days ago. TIE rains
have continued since then, and the crops
are Just now in a fair way to be almost
totally destroyed in a very short time.
RICE BEGINNING TO sPRoUT.
A planter estimated yesterday that fully
10 per cent of the rice has been cut and
stacked. This has begun TO sprout The
rice down, and the rains have caused
it to sprout also. He is
fearful OF more damage to rice after the
rains He apprehends that "spilling"
might follow from overripeness, and also
from brittle foot stalk, caused by rapid
drying. The straw after being wet at any
time has natural tendency to be easily
broken. when the sun dries It.
The planter was asked if there was no
means OF housing the grain in the stack TO
prevent damage by rain. He replied that
the rice could not be housed. AS much
damage, he said. results from heat
ing, as from rain, consequently one
is as bad as the other.
By means of drains water does not stand
Ou rice HeluS long, OF else Single ram, many
times, would ruin the crop Planters have
avoided such drawbacks as these, but there
is no way TO prepare against loss by con-
tinued rains
MORE HOPEFUL PROSPECT.
The amount of rain yesterday was less
than on any day since the weather changed
There was some sunshine on the rice, and a
good deal of the grain lying
on the ground, was stacked
If the rains hold up any length Of time the
chances are that the loss may yet be light
OF course the crop will be out off some,
but the heavy yield, twithstanding this
loss, will bring the harvest up TO what it
was last season.
The prospect for better weather, the
signal observer says, is fair. very light
rainfall is reported yesterday, and that was
in sections remote from the rice territory
The unpropitlous weather will have
tendency to delay the marketing of rice
This time last season the threshing malls
were in operation, and the crop was nearly
threshed out ut a period earlier than the
planters will have an opportunity to start
on this seasons crop. It generally requires
about six weeks to thresh the crop raised
around Savannah