The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1899-12-12
FARM AT F. AIRS.
THa PRRSRN STATUS OF RICe
CULTURE IN TaR UNITED
STATES AND ELSEWHERE
correspondence Of the Progressive Farmer.

Farmer.
Under the appropriation by Con-
gress for the intro 7uction of valuable
seeds and plants from foreign n countries
the Secretary OF Agriculture 5eOtem-
Der 1. 1898, appointed DR.. 8. A Knapp.
OF louisiana an agricultural explorer,
with instructions to visit Japan, inves
tigate the rices of that country, and
purchase a stock suited to meet the
requirements OF the American system
OF rice cultivation. Rice in additiOn to
its tropical or subtropical character, is
a crop grown chiefly in wet lands
where harvesting n machines cannot be
used. The crop must therefore be cut
with sickle, and the American hand
lsborer has been thro Rn into competi
ton with the cheap labor of the Trop
les, competition that has not proved
profitable to the American.
In 1880 peculiar prairie region in
the Lake Charles district of Louisiana
was opened up by the construction of
a railroad. In 1884 enterprising set
tiers began the devt Iopment of a new
system of rice culture, by which as
nov perfected, the elevated and nor
mally or peri odically dry prairie lands
are flooded by a system of pumps,
canals, and levees, and when the ri q
is ab ut to mature the water Ia drained
eff, leaving the land dry erOu IN for
the use Of reapi0g machines. Under
this system the cost OF harvesting, and
therefore the total cost of production,
has been greatly reduced and the in
dustry has undergone a rapid develop
ment.
The Japanese rices average better
than the American as far as their mill
ing qualities are concerned, and for
this reason it is desirable that Japanese
rices be more extG nsively introduced
into this ccuutry provided they main
tain the same echaracteristics as in ths ir
native countrv.
The American methods Of using ma
chinery in the Iice fields have resulted
IN revolution in methods Of cultlva
ton. r. ia addition, the came relative
improvement can be secured in the
rice itself, il varieties which yield
from 80 t. so per cant. Of head rice In
ho flushed product can BE- euccess.
tuigy introduced, American ric5 grow
ers viii be able TO comm and for their
products prices IS high as any in the
marke7s of the world.
DR.. Knapp returned from japan In
the early spring of 1899 with ten tons
of Klushu rice, which was distributed
TO experimenters in the Lake Charles
district and elsewhere in the rice belt.
The result OF the milling tests OF the
Kiushu rice are therefore awaited WITH
much interest. IL the high milling
quality Of this rice i5 maintained un-
der our cultural conditions, TIE com
pIsce success OF an American system Of
rice cultivation will be firmly estaE-
| lished.
Flr the purpose of ffusing infor
nation on the new American system
and It's relation to the general question
OF rice production, a report has been
prepared by Dr.. Knapp, whiah will
soon be issued by the .. 8. Depart
ment of Agriculture as Bulletin N %,
Division of B otany, entitled The Pea
ept Status o. R c. Culture in the UOiCed
Stet and E sc where "
TINS report gives a history OF the
origin OF rice and iUs introduction IN to
tne United States, the conditions OF
produc ion, aud areas of lands suitable
tor rice culture. 1t says the outlook
! for the further extension of the indus
try. uaing the American methods, as
developed in the district Of southern
Louisiana during the last ten years, is
verv promising There is no satlstac
tory reason why the Uaited States
should not grow and mill all of it's own
rice. nor is there any reason why the
United States should not 6e come an ex
porter of rice. R!c9 cultivation In the
Hawaiian Islands and in the Philip
mines is referred to, and then full de
scription of the methods of cultivation
| in the United States is given, and the
obstacles to rice cultivation are men
toned. Tnis is tollo we'd by some gen
eral nott on the culture and treatment
of rice, describing the preparation OF
the ground, so wing the s'ed, injury to
bloom f)oding, harvesting, thrasnlng'
fertilizlng, and milling,
There IL also a fashion in rice. Fash
ion r, q u1ires a hsgn G! !oss. and to obtain
this the most nutritI Us portions are
removed under the polishing process
z tim ated acenrding the fond vaLues,