The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-08-08
RICE IN GOOD CONDITION.
The Crop Outlook Favorable and
Planters Are Smiling.

A Small Percentage Damaged by Salt
water-The Louisiana Crop-Rice
Flour and Straw as a Food for Cat
us-The Local Market Overstocked.
Suggestions How to Tighten 1t.
There has been considerable difference
of opinion as to the rice crop, which is
NOW approaching maturity. Although
tbe season shows that the supply has
been far in advance of the demand, there
are indications of more prosperous and
profitable crop this year.
In this section, it is estimated that the
acreage planted is at least rs per cent.
less in uplands and about 10 per cent. less
of tide water rice. This in itself shows
that the crop will be much smaller
than that of last season. The condition
of the incoming crop is very favorable. as
there is a small percentage injured by salt
water in the tide-water section, though
there has beed some damage by the beat
ing Of heavy rains against the grain.
THE LOUISIANA CROP.
There has unquestionably been a very
great diminution in the acreage in rice
along the Mississippi river and Bayou
TaFourche, although it has been believed
that the acreage in the prairie section of
louisiana has not been decreased and per-
haps has been slightly increased. The Jen-
ingsTimes, "a Mississippi newspaper, which
ispublished in the very centre of the rice
growing districts of the country, makes
the following statement from thorough
investigation of the surroundings:
The reports by Talmage and others of
the bright prospect for an increased crop
in Louisiana this year are highly exag-
gerated, and will do great injury to our
staple unless contradicted We have
taken special pains the past ten days to
get the whole truth by conversation, cor
respondence and any other means. In all
the older parishes the acreage is a third
to half less than last year. In the rice
districts of Southwest Louisiana, which
produces the bulk of our states crop, the
acreage planted was probably nearly equal
but certainly not in excess of last
year. In this locality not over sixth of
the acreage is irrigated by pumps So it
is to prairie rice, depending on rain, that
we must mainly look for full or short
rice crop. An unfaVOrable season has
dealt severely with rice. A wet spring
made most seeding late. Very little wa
ter was held from early rains much rice,
getting so late start, is yet backward.
A no time since rice was up has a fourth
OIL One crop DS6n IOOueu, ana Ut JliS blUlC
not over a tenth of the prairie rice is food
ed. Much of the grain is small and past
sJOoling even if flooded at once.
TO MAKE THEIR OWN SEED.
"Many farmers have told us that they
win do well to make their seed. Here
and there few fields are flooded, but
they are the exception. This is true of
Vermilion, Acadia and Calcasieu. In many
fields the rice cannot make a fourth crop,
even if flooded at once. In coming to our
conclusion the testimony of scores of men
is taken, and from all the facts at hand
we are convinced that the prairie rice Of
Southwest Louisiana does not warrant
the hope for more than a third the yield
of last year. Then admitting that the
artiticially irrigated rice makes a full
crop, we can not count on much if any
more than half the crop of last year the
state over. Heavy rains at once may i'm
prove the outlook, but if drought contin-
Ues the outcome Will surely be even worse.
These are facts which there is no Use de-
nying."
GOOD FOR STOCK.
Rice -four and rice straw for feeding
horses and cattle, are valued, as will be
seen by the following analysis of Prof.
Ii. b. Proctor, of Lendon. and Elliott w.
Stewart, professor of Principles of Agri-
culture of Cornell University: