The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-09-04
.,..... 732, 4O5I 813, 896I627 468 T652, SAC
RICE.

Just as the crop of 1s9G-'97 was prom
ising to be most profitable to planters;
just as every condition was most favora-
bic, with a splendid harvest almost as
sured and prices steadily advancing, the
September storm, which passed over this
section, scattered devastation far and
wide along the rice fields. Mills and barns,
with their contents of newly harvested
rice, were greatly damaged, and the banks
of fields were washed away, allowing the
high tides to cover the fields of matured
rice and causing a loss of at least 10 to 20
per cent. of the crop.
The receipts of rough rice at Savannah
during the past year were 2450O0 bushels,
against $4,000 bushels in 1886 Consid-
cradle rice, which was intended for ship
ment to Savannah, went to Charleston,
on account of the Planters rice mills not
being in condition to receive It. These
mills had been burned and were then III
the course of rebuilding.
There was no foreign rice brought in for
milling purposes during the season, but a
considerable amount of the cleaned pro-
duct was sold on this market it having
been brought from New York and Balti-
more.
Owing to the light receipts of native rice
very little of 1t was shipped by steamer
to northern markets, seven-eighths of the
entire crop being sold to city jobbers who
disposed of it by shipment to the interior
and supplied the demand for local con-
sumption.
The city mills pounded and delivered the
entire receipts of 245, 900 bushels of rough
rice, which Yielded $500 barrels of the
cleaned product.
The first rice of the past season was re-
ceived here on Sept, /, and by the latter
part of the month the movement was be-
ginning to be lively. number of vessels
loaded with fun cargoes of rough rice and
bound for this port, were caught i'm the
great storm, and several were wrecked
along the coast. The rice on the vessels
that escaped destruction by the storm was
damaged seriously by salt water
The highest prices obtained for clean
rice during the year were in September
October and November. In January the
market dropped about &c. and continued
duh and featureless for the balance of the
season. The new crop viii find the mar
ket bare Of stock, every barrel having
been disposed of several weeks ago.
The outlook for a prosperous year is
very promising There was an increase Of
about is per cent. in acreage and a good
crop and a fine quality Of rice is assured,
barring storms. Prohting by the severe
lessons Of past years, the planters have
cultivated with more care this season,
and have resorted to every possible econ
ciAS' hiNN wy A~'NAN NA"N WIN any INNS
like a fair price they are certain to make
good profits. All other branches of the
trade have also accommodated themselves
to changed conditions more particularly
the mills, which by adoption of improved
machinery and modern methods, are in
position to work more economically and
are, therefore, certain of sure profits.
The increased tariff Of re a pound on
cleaned rice will result in keeping out
great deal of low grades of foreign and
enhancing the value of the domestic pro-
duet at least zoe a bushel in the rough
This will enable planters TO make a profit
on their product, a thing that they have
not done for the past four years.
Rice field lands had been abandoned by
the hundreds Of acres during the past few
years. The expectation OF the revived tar
in gave the owners some encouragement
70 again cultivate their lands, and II is