The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-03-26
Columbia, Conn.
Upland Rice-How to Grow It.

j. ii. Alexander gives the following dl-
rections in Southern Farm We have
had very extended inquiry regarding the
cultivation of upland rice, and it is i'm
possible for US to give as full reply to all
through the medium of letter as we
think the subject warrants. The value
of rice for food, the adaptability of the
crop to our uplands, and comparative
ease with which a crop can be made, we
think, makes it all the more important
that small areas for home use and as an
auxiliary crop should be cultivated on
every southern farm.
1t is for this reason we think that pos
sibly this article might be of interest to
many of your readers. The permanent
prosperity of our farmers depends now
upon diversity of crops. This interest
which is now awakening, should be slim
ulated; 1t means better living at home
and larger independence for them.
For the suggestions made in this letter
as to the cultivation of rice, we are
largely indebted to a late prominent
planter of the interior of South Carolina,
who was very successful in the cultiva-
ton of upland rice, and for years made
it a profitable selling crop. He says:
1T is important that the planter should
get good seed; and what the rice planter
means by good seed is simply sound, well
ripened seed free from mixture of vOlun-
teer rice. Volunteer rice is red rice, and
its presence Injuries the market value; but
worse than that, 1t ripens sooner than the
other rice, and falls out, causing in this
way often the loss of a considerable per-
centage of the crop. The varieties most
planted here and yielding best results are
the ordinary Carolina Upland a safe
prolific variety, more planted
in this section than any other;
and the Japan Upland a va
riety of more recent introduction, and for
which it is claimed to be early very pro
life, yielding double what oats or wheat
would on the same soil; and that after
being cut. second growth springs from
the stubble, which will make good grain,
if the season permits, or at least a large
crop of forage, equal to sheaf oats, and
which cattle eat greedily
Rice may be grown, but will not fruit
well on very light soil. 1t prefers moist
loans and The lighter CLAWS The soil
along our rivers, creeks and branches and
bottoms, marsh lands, when well drained
and not inclined too much to peat, and
second low-lands, if not too stiff, are well
adapted TO it. 1t can be grown, and some
times with favorable seasons, very sue
cessfully on high, dry uplauds OF good
quality, but its culture there is hardly to
be recommended.
THE culture is almost identical with
that of cotton. Pulverize the ground
well with the plow aud harrow. When
the time has come for planting, run of
shallow burrows with a light shovel pillow
three and half feet apart. If the land
is warm and dry, drop in the burrows in
hills eighteen inches apart, from ten to
fifteen seed to the hill, according to the
strength of the soil, and cover lightly If
the land is cold or wet, throw up in the
beds the same as for cotton, and plant on
the bed. The after culture Is with the
side harrow and sweep and hoe, lust
sufficient to destroy weeds and grass.
"Ihere is no grain that tillers so much
as rice. 1t may be doubted, however, if
il is desirable to encourage tillering by
this planting. 1t seems probable that
when enough seed are used to produce at
once all the stalks the land should bear,
the rice will head out and ripen with more
uniformity; and that Is matter of no
little consequence.
"Rice may be planted IN Middle South
Carolina as late as the last week in May
on cold lands, or as early as corn, than
which it is little more subject to injury
by frost (after it has come up where the
soil is warm. The critical period is when
it is in the sprout. Too much cold and
moisture at that time will cause the
SprOut 10 rot and destroy the germ.
have known seed to lie in the ground for
month, and when they did not sprout
make a good stand. But if you find your
seed have sprouted and the blade does not
appear in a few days, the sooner you plant
over the better To avoid this difficulty
the covering should be done very lightly
This is one of the essential points in
pla ting. Rice viii not come up well if
covered deeply, and especially If the
earth is pressed upouit, dinering curiously
in this respect from nearly all other
seeds.
several years ago the Georgia State
Fair gave a prize to a planter OF South
west Georgia for an acre of rice which
yielded uinety-eight bushels. The land
was described as pine land which had
been Cow-penned L have known an
average of sixty-four bushels per acre
gathered from twenty-one acres. A
neighbor claims last year forty bushels
from half acre. and six hundred and
thirty from thirteen acres. With the ex-
ception of one year, when, from excessive
heat and drouth, the crop was almost a
complete failure, l have averaged forty
to forty-tive bushels, with a maximum on