The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1892-04-02

cOnceQe everything, ana sun nave
a majority. The count was to have
been finished yesterday, but we.
have nothing as to the result
PLANT Rice.
In giving this advice, we do not
promise a fortune the first year,
nor in several years, to every one
who adopts the advice. Neither do
we advise any one to drop all other
crops and turn his attention exclu-
sively to rice culture. We do of
fer it, however, after mature con-
sideration and study, as I partial
substitute for cotton, which all adj
NIT is q proftless crop at current
and prospective prices.
The principal requirements to be
fulfilled In q crop that proposes to
supplant cotton are two: l, mar.
ketable crop at good figures; and
2, crop that can be raised upon
large proportion of our Southern
soil. Both these condition are full
filed in rice, we think, in measures
sufficient to warrant the trial at
least.
/. AS to the first condition, it 10
only necessary to state that tho
production of rice in the United
States is far below the require
ments of the people for consump-
tion. This fact should insure .
ready market and 4 good price.
That clean rice does bear q good
price, needs no proof with farmers
who buy the article for table use.
They know that every peck they
buy at the stores costs them from
80 to 100 cents As good rice turns
out half in the beating, this means
that they are paying ct the rate Of
two dollars per bushel for rough
rice; and when it is understood that
the yield varies from fifteen to
seventy five bushels per acre, it is
not hard to see that there Is . con.
siderable margin for profit, after
paying for the beating and market
ing. It should be- stated, however,
in this connection, that the higher
yield referred to above, is rarely IL
ever realized upon uplands, and
then only when soil, cultivation
and season are in conjunction. In
this section of the State, where no
attention. il given to fertilization
and the crop il limited to wet soils
that have been planted in rice for
q long time, the yield il about
twenty bushels.*
2. Can rice be grown upon .
considerable portion Of the area
now devoted to cotton culture?
This is q difficult question to
answer so as NOT to inislead any
one. Our conviction is that it can
be 80 grown. We have observed
volunteer hills Of rice very FREE
quently in our cotton and corn
fields, and they have invariably
made good, heavy heads. A neigh
boris field that has been run in cot
ton exclusively for . long time,
and that il moreover distinctly
HIGHLAND, well adapted to cotton,
was successfully cultivated in rice
long ago = indeed, We have FREE
quently heard of the wonderful rice
made on that field. These obser-
vations lead us to conclude that
rice may be successfully grown up.
on large portion of the lands Of
the State heretofore run in cotton.
At. any rate we were sufficiently,
impressed with the probability Of
success to set apart for that pur-.
pose, some time ago, portion of
the area originally intended for
cotton this year.
As to the time and method of
planting. Select the land, giving
preferences to low-lying lands and
bottoms. Prepare it as If for cot
ton. The planting should begin
about the same time as corn or q
little later. Having selected the
seed carefully, open the bed with
an old bull-tongue or the plow foot.
Then drop three to six grains of
rice at intervals Of fifteen to eigh-
teen inches. Brush over lightly
with a board fastened to pillow. Be
careful not to cover too deep; and
if packing rains come, it may be
necessary to run q light harrow or
light rake over the beds when the