St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1890-11-08
RICE.
Its Cultivation on the Prairies of South
west Louisiana.
DOES IT PAY 7

Rice Is a cereal plant of the genu
Oryza There is only one species. 1t i
! cultivated in all warm climates and form
a large part of the food for those countries
| 1t is light and nutritious and very easy o
digestion. 1t is>a staple of commerce owe
| the world and is largely used in the United
States.
Heretofore our supplies were msinl.
from Japan, China and the Carolinas
Latterly, Louisiana has come into tn,
market AS a rice producing country, ane
by the use of improved machinery in cul,
tlvating has stepped to the front rank as s
rice producing State.
The rough rice is sown on new or old land
prepared as for other grain One bushel
(401 lbs per acre is sufficient.
Level land capable of flooding is best.
Soil, clay loan with clay subsoil. Levees
should be prepared as long as possible be
fore seeding, and field should be flooded,
when rice is 6 to ~ inches high, with 4 to
10 inches of water. Sow from March 10th
to June Goth, and harvest in August, Sep
TENDER and October.
In appearance rice much resembles
wheat in it's early growth. The head
more nearly resembles oats, but the ker-
nels resemble barley and are more closely
packed in the head than oats. 1t stools
thickly, having 80 to 100 straws from one
seed and 100 to 400 seeds in head. 1t is
the only small cereal plant that yields the
hundredfold of Scripture measure.
Rice raising for commerce began in
Southwestern Louisiana with the advent
of the Iowa Colony and Irvine binding har-
vesters in 1884, when Maurice Brien, of
jennings, La, put Irvine binder in the
field
In 1883 five acres was about the largest
field; since then the growth has been
rapid, as figures show.
The Southern Pacific railway shipped
in 1886. 1900 600 pounds; 1887, 1000 900
pounds; 1883, 100000 pounds; 1889,
10000, 900 pounds; and estimated for 1870,
100, 900, 900 pounds.
In 1884 there was used l twine binder;
1885, 5 Irvine binders; 1886, so Irvine
binders; 1887, 200 Irvine binders; 1888, 400
Irvine binders; 1890, 1000 Irvine binders.
The Southern Pacific railway shipped,
in 1884, about 254 cars of rice between
Lake Charles and Lafayette: in 1889, over
1000 cars. and the fair estimate for 1890,
1000 cars.
With good cultivation and care rice
yields Is barrels go bushels per acre.
This brings an average of IS per barrel
$45 per acre.
The cost of growing. harvesting and
marketing will generally reach. 81 per
barrel, say $15 per acre, unless you have
to pump water by steam. Most of the rice
is raised by natural irrigation, rainwater
flowing from higher lands and he'd by
levees.
Cost of growing an acre of rice, say IS
barrels, is $15, and Is barrels of rice at
the average, SO, is $45, leaving $50 net
Cost of raising 10 barrels about $40;
value of 10 barrels is $50, leaving $50 net.
VIM. H. Harris proposes to sow 1000
acres next year. A. D. McFarlain pro-
poses to put in 1000 acres and try artesian
water. He informs me that he will begin
work at once on well at Jennings.
The total rice crop along the Atlantic
coast last year was 10000 sacks. Louis
lana raised 642, O53 barrels
year ending Aug 81, 1890, were 800, 212
sacks OF rough rice and 7703 barrels of
clean rice, against $50, 1922 sacks of rough
and rs, 6S6 barrels of clean the year before.
The amount of new crop received this
'oaSou, up to oept. L, Is tUIoSo SACKS OF
'ough and 1862 barrels of clean, and with
favorable weather it is believed that the
lew crop of 1890 will reach 1900, 1000
'acks.
The first receipt of new rice in 1890 was
July 81; 1889, Aug. /; 1888, July 49,
There are over one million 10000 0O |
.cres of prairie land i'm Southwestern |
louisiana capable of producing rice, and
nough can be raised here to supply ali |
North America.
Canals, arteslan wells, pumps, engines,
vindmills and improved machinery are
wanted, and fortunes await the industrious
nen of genius and enterprise. Labor and
Intelligence are at big her premium here
han elsewhere.
Better and cheaper methods of produce
ion are being adopted each year. But the
roadening uses and increasing population
vil doubtless keep pace with production
lice, sugar and cotton are the three mystic
INKS that bind Louisiana to the greatest
L. Cary.
@H@