The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-03-29
RICE PLANTERS ANXIOUS
THE DAMAGE By THE FLOOD NOT
YET KNOWN.

The Area Covered by Water Greater
Than During ANY Previous Flood
Planters Fearful That the Seed Has
Rotted In the Ground, and That the
Crop VIII Fave to be Rsplanted-
A Probable Setback to the Early
Rice.
There is some diversity Of opinion among
those interested in rice as to the extent Of
the damage, II any there is, from the recent
food.
1t seems to be settled feet that more
area was covered with water, and that it
was deeper than was ever known In any
previous freshst, although the water has
been considerably higher at Augusta in
former rises. The reason assigned for the
covering Of the lands more generally this
time Is that the jetties In the river have
held the water back, notwithstanding the
winds were favorable for driving it out to
sea, and every time the tide came in
it backed the water up on the rice fields,
and it was longer being drained off than
usual. elt
Another feature of the food was the
rapidity with which il came down. coming
in about six days. In former freshets it
took the main body OF water ten to twelve
days to reach Savannah.
ANXIETY FOR TUE CROPS.
There is, Of course, some damage to the
rice field banks on Back river at aud around
Screven's Ferry by washouts and a few
banks breaking, but the greatest concern is
whether the crop which was planted in
early March Is damaged so much
that it will have be plowed
up and replanted, in which case
there will be considerable set back to the
early crop. About ], 200 acres were planted
| in February and March. which would have
been up aud ready for water the second
time. This is more than likely put back
ten days.
Planters have been delayed by the scar
| city OF labor to get the banks back in good
condition and the breaks repaired. If the
rice underground is rotted by the water
staying on so long the ground will have to
be cultivated over again. The earlier the
rice is put under ground the better the
quality of the grain.
CHANCE TO MAKE UP.
There is, however. some chance Of max
that may be occasioned by reason
OF replanting. with favorable weather
through che balance of the season, but there
is considerable risk, as the whole crop is
liable to ripen at one time. There is
always a scarcity of labor in the fall, and
when labor cannot be got and the rice be-
gins to fail off it entails heavy loss on the
| planters.
The loss, in case the rice has rotted.
which is not known yet, will be about 81
| to 3 bushels of seed rice to the acre planted
and the labor in planting
II the weather is unfavorable during the
season there will be no early rice, but lat
crop, which will also be liable to damage by
harvesti & time from the equinoctial gales.
There are some who claim that the new
rice will be put back very little If it has
not rotted in the ground, and the water
dries up in time for it to catch the present
tides. If not the planters will be put back.
The greater part Of the rice lands had been
plowed and put in condition for planting and
a small percentage was planted as posi-
Bile benefit. OF course, the freshet water
does not help the rice, but the tide water
| does, and the belief of some is that IL the
| freshet water does not remain too long the
land will be benefited by the deposit left on
| the land, and even il the planters lost the
present tides entirely it will not prevent
carly rice, aud it will probably be only
about ten days later than the usual time,
which is about the last of August. 1t will
| however, interfere somewhat with the June
planting, which does not mature until about
the middle Of November or frost weather
AS rule few planters plant heavily wher
the moon fills for fear Of cold weather anC
high tides. They will have now to wait fol
the next spring tides to allow the presen
rlcs under ground TO sprout, providing it Il
| not rotted, which cannot be told yet.
II the crop is put back or delayed, as i
was at first believed, it will give the Louis
lana planters great advantage over thi
market. as they usually come in a month o.
six weeks ahead with new rice, but the,
have encountered the same trouble b.
reason of the flood, and it is very probable
that the set back to them is more serious thai
it is to planters on the Atlantic coast.