The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1900-04-03
RICE And ITS CULTURE.
AN ARTICLE COVERING EVERY
PHASE OF IEa QUESTION

It's domestieation long antedates cred
liable history and even tradition. It's
origin is confused with the mythology
Of all oriental nations. The Hindoc
Bacchus affects rice instead OF crap g.
The original home Of tue rice plant il
probably India or China.
Rice was introduced into the United
States-then Oolonies-in 1894 by a
vessel from Madagascar which touched
at Charleston, 8 O. Rice whose cul
lure began in South Caroline, con-
tinued to be principally produced in
that State until 1861. To that year the
total merchansable output of the two
Carolinas was about 80 900 600 pounds,
besides what was retained for plaDta-
ton and local use and seed-probably
one fourth more. The war nearly
ruined the industry. The production
Of the two States for 1866 was only
1900 900 los Since then up to the panic
of 1898 the output gradually increased,
the product for that year 10 the Caro-.
linas being 81 600 600 pounds. In 1899
it had declined 20 Is 900 600 pounds.
Notwithstanding the decline in produc'
tion, the consumption Of rice per cap
ita In the United States has been stead
lily on the increase. In 1899 the total
msrchsntsble output for the U1ited
States was about 1877 900 600 pounds.
The importation OF rIcs for the sam9
year was 100 600 600 pounds. Thus we
produce only about two htths of the
rice we consume No rice is exported
from the United States. The totalaTea
under rice culture In the United States
for 1899 was about 225, 600 acres. It
would % an easy matter GO increase
this area q hundred fold. Actually,
however, the area under rice is nov
little if any greater Il an it was in 1861
There is a duty Of 2 cents per pound
on clean, polished rice; II cents on
clean but unpublished rice, and ( cents
on rice in hull or paddy" The main
cause for the recent unprosperous state
Of rice culture is the untrust worthiness
and lack of skill in the laborers. In
1861 the best rice lands On the Cape
It ar river were held at from 90 0 TO
$500 per acre and we're considered very
profitable investments. Now such
lands can be had for a tenth Of that
sum. This Inference in price of land
vividly illustrates the diff be-
tween weu-cared for, disciplined and
skillful labor and mob and tramp labor
The rice plant is a true grass. It
was orig inally a swamp or jingle
plant, but so great is its power Of adap.
tation that the plant will grow and
thrive even on mountain tops. In
practice, however, it has been found
that rice can be grown for profit only
on irrigated land. While it will pro-
due a crop on any soil that will grow
spring oats, on good ost laud il pro
duced only about one. third as much
Rrsin as on irrigated land. On irrigated
land under the best culture the yield is
from so to 70 bushels of paddy or I'M
hulled rice per acre. The weight of a
buehel of paddy is 45 pounds. The
average yield in the North Carolina
rice district is at present under 40 bush
els, per acre showing plainly that bet
ter culture methods and more care is
needed. In prolidcacity rice exceeds
all other cereals. IE has been found by
trial that a single grain of rice can pro.
duce in one crop over IL 600 seeds.
This exceeds the ScripturaI measure of
"a hu~ndredtold," In the Oarolinas
rice is sown from April 10 b to May
10Th. IL IS usually planted IN drills II
apart and covered 2 TO 8 inches
deep. The seed is put il by hsnd in a
very wasteful manner. From 80 to
100 pounds OF seed per acre are used,
but If put in by machinery ouch as is
used for sowing wheat 40 to 80 pounds
Of coed ia sufi to SON an acre. As
soon as the s4ed is soWn the water is
Let on for 4 TO 6 days. This causes the
seed 10 sprout. The water is then held
of uutil the plants are 8 to 10 inches
high. The field is again flooded nearly
TO the tips OF the plants. The water is
kept on for Is to 80 days. Il is then
Withdra WI As soon as the land is
dry enough the crop is hand weeded
The wedding is repeated after 8 or 4
weeks. Usually, as DON as '0int-
begins the waters to 6 inches
deep-is again let on and kept on until
the rice is nearly ripe. It is then with
drawn and the hslds dried as much as
possible for the harvest Cutting is
done Oy the old-tashioned cradle or
even the curved grass hook. II lie thus
seen how immense is the amount of
hand labor required in making q rice