The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-10-29
RICE GROWING INDUSTRY
Experiments That Will Begin a
Revolution.
AN UNQUALIFIED SUCCESS
The Department of Agriculture Much
Gratif1 ed-Western Farmers Have
Persevered In the Face OF
Ridicule.

Spec1al Correspondence Oh the otalludIu'
Canton, Mo-, Oct. 25.-An experiment
in rice cultivation begun near here
amidst a shower of sarcasm from UNI
believers has been crowned with COM
plete success. DR.. N. Robinson, the
owner of a large tract of land lying
near the Mississippi river on spot
where this river once actually flowed,
got 1t into his head that the state could
be made the greatest rice growing cen
ter in America. The scoffers laughed
at the idea of rice being possible of Gull
tivation as far north as the fortieth
parallel, but DR.. Robinson let them
scott and went on studying the cereal
and preparing for the experiment that
was to change the tune of the DOUBT
ers The chemical nature of the soil
was thoroughly looked into, reports or
the plant from all the countries of the
world where rice Is grown were reclv-
ed and studied and when the evidence
was all in the doctor was convinced
that rice grown on the fortieth parallel
anywhere in the world would grow on
the fortieth parallel in the United
States.
Enlisting the support Of the depart
ment of agriculture at Washington IN
his experiments. Dr. Robinson secured
seed that had been grown upon the
fortieth parallel of China, sowed this
seed in generous quantities upon his
rich Mississippi bottom ground ana
confidently awaited developments.
Anxious days and months followed
and the critics made Neighbor Robin
son the subject of innumerable cutting
witticisms and crossroads irony. He
ri Pnhin
pitied as a visionary who wasted
harvest to pursue a chimerical idea and
pointed to as a future inmate OF the
county poor house, unless he dropped
his rice-growing fancies and went back
to honest corn, wheat. hay and oats.
While they laughed, however, the rice
broke and sprouted, Deeped above the
earth, and, like the beanstalk of the
nursery tales, climbed higher and high
er. until a most amazingly healthy-
looking field of rice was displayed. Ihe
people travelled miles to see the phe-
nomenon the jokers joked no more, 1or
Dr. Rohinson's rice field was much too
impressive a fact for ribaldry. the de-
partment of agriculture at Washington
received samples of the rice and pro
nounced it as good as any grown ana
it was seen that it would be Only
question of time when Illinois state and
others equally as far north would he
come blooming rice gardens. The mar
vest came a few days ago. DR.. Robln-
son extended a general invitation to
the county to come and see the rice
crop gathered in and that venerable
and highly respected individual. the
Oldest inha bitant declares that he has
never seen so enthusiastic gathering
in Hancock county before.
The crop yielded at the rate of zoo
| bushels per acre" said DR.. Robinson
in describing it to the writer, land
| henceforth and forever you will read
| of the rice fields of central Illinois. All
who saw it agree that it was success.
! To convince you of this beyond the
question of a doubt I will show you
| samples of the rice grown on my farm.
All that is necessary to make Illinois
one of the greatest states In the union
for the cultivation of rice is time to
| develop it. and l expect to lead the
state in the effort to grow it.
II am thoroughly convinced that
Illinois can produce Is fine rice as
grows in the world, and other states as
far north as the fortieth parallel with
land containing so per cent. of organic
matter, accessible to plenty of water
for irriga ton purposes, can produce
good rice. The rice grown on my farm
has had no water since the 18th day
of June, except a few light showers
If I had been prepared to irrigate 1t
I would have surprised the world in
| quantity and quaHty.
Dr. Robinson had the photographs
that I send herewith taken especially
for your readers. They are certainly
| evidence enough for the dawn of new
era for the farming fraternity in
America and a most important advance
for the rice industry in this country.
Some few years ago a few prosperous
farmers of Iowa organized a small col
ony and settled in southwestern Lou
isiana with the view of becoming rice
planters. Their experience with The
rice plant was not of the highest or.
der. but they ventured on an experiment
and it resulted successfully. AS thu
years went by new ideas were develop
ed and modern implements introduced
, to harvest the grain. The steam
thresher found its way into their fields
and at the end of a few years the new
: was heralded over the world tina
southwestern Louisiana was the great
est rice country in the United State
and that North America must look t.
that quarter for it's rice. Now the sun
ny South can no longer claim to be tn
only rice growing section of the coun
try, On the Robinson farm the ric
! fiourishes to such a surprising exten
I that as many as % stalks with head
averaging from 10 to II inches long ar
l being produced from a single reed.
S The rice farm is situated some seve
or eight miles south of Warsaw, Ill
? in what is known S the Hunt drain
} age district where once the great Mis-
{ sissippi flowed. bringing down from tn
: North the richest soil the earth eve
produced and depositing it in this grea
S bend of the river. cutting new chan
= mel for herself. Strengthening her righ
of way and giving to man the riches
| soil and the finest farms the sun eve
shone upon. The soil is especially rio
in the chemical properties necessar
( for rice growing, a fact of which D.
Robinson had appriSed himself befol
beginning his experiments.
The doctor intends to renew his rio
| "a rr,irae ON an ex.tensiN scale in Il