The Russellville Democrat., 1892-02-18
RICE INSTEAD OF COTTON.
A snnxestlon Concerning Proauctiol
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cent. in the acreage of cotton, a sug- gestion was. made by Messrs. Dan Talmage's Sons that planters devote more attention to rice culture. They urged that rice was growable in any locality adapted to cotton, either on lowland or upland that it is one of the most profitable and safest of Southern crops; that present pro- ducticn was far short of home re- quirements, and that were the former increased ten-fold, the surplus, if any, could be marketed abroad at prices which would leave good mar gins to the planter. The New Or leans Picayune has devoted several editorials to the subject of substi- tutes, but while that of rice appeared to receive hearty welcome, 1t is only given the most faint and half hearted endorsement. The various comments appear somewhat incon- sistent and contradictory. In the hope of possible explanation re- porter of the Bulletin interviewed Mir. John Talmage. He said "The course of the Picayune is one of those things which no fellow can find out. To say in one line 1t is a good thing and then a little further on in the same article but it won't do, you know, is straddle talk quite beyond ordinary laymen. It re- minds one of the kindly and hospit- able consideration given by one of old: And Joab took Amasa by the beard with the right hand to kiss him. But Amasa took no heed of the sword that was in Joab's hand, so he smote herewith in the fifth rib Picking up a file of the Picayune Mr. Talmage said: Hear these frank admissions, (reading) it is true there is less than half the rice consumed in this country pro- duced here;' again, there Is room for considerable development of the domestic rice industry, particularly as it can be safely assumed that the consumption will steadily increase 2 again, rice has paid the producer well and Git and sugar) will undoubt- edly assist in offsetting in consid- erable degree the i'll effects of the low prices of cotton as far as this state Is concerned Here's another : The growing of rice as ore of the means of diversifying the crops In this section would undoubtedly be a good thing Certainly every word quoted so far is friendly and yet this 'doubting Thomas proceeds to undo these plain statements by quail flying in this fashion: The present domestic crop, small as it is, has sometimes been distributed with great exertion only This is un- doubtedly true, but due to unwise methods of marketing. This was a commercial error and not the fault of the crop, which has never ap- proximated the requirements of the United States since the war
 Again, it says, there is serious reason to doubt the ability of the country to absorb production in creased eight or ten times above the present crop Who has claimed this, prayg We said, the consump- tion of rice in this country is in creasing annually per capita and at far greater ratio than production. The United States to-day needs twice its present production to meet its home demand, and were the product increased even ten-fold, the surplus could be marketed abroad at prices which would leave handsome margin to planter We justify this state ment by the fact that fancy sorts of Bengal, Java and Japan are eagerly sought for abroad and command prices which as we state, would leave handsome margin to planter We might make this stronger, for our rice is universally preferred, no small business being done to-day in fancy sorts for export at six cents per pound, which price excites the envy of the growers of the East The Picayune says it would be clearly impossible for this country to com pete with cheap Oriental prices. We don't need to, for we do not raise that kind of stuff. We are surprised at The Picayune going back into ancient history, for the mistakes of marketing have been largely done away with and the planters for two or more years past have been getting fair value for the crop. This has been due to the fact that they have ascertained the worth of their product in comparison with such styles of foreign as were likely to be imported, and then by judi cicusly feeding the market, have pre- vented over supply and consequent depression. We are glad to note that a large number of the Southern press, prominently News and Cou- rier, Charleston, have taken up our suggestion and commend it in most hearty way. It is worth trial and we do not believe that any planter who engages in the culture of rice in painstaking, persevering way will ever regret the new departure. '''- New York Daily Commercial Bull letin, February I.
 Something to Eat.
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