The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1900-06-01
THE NEW RICE CULTURE.
in Southwestern louisiana md
ScuthcuSfcr:. Texas

IN SOUTHWESTERN Louisiana md
ScuthcuStcra TcHns.
In 1S&. and lSSJ Il few farmers from
the northwestern prairie states settled
on the great southern prairie extending
along the coast of Louisiana 20 the
Texas line and ECE;,u at once to a,!ao;
the machinery to which they hH;l been
a"cuatomct!-ganS plow, disk harrow,
drill, broadcast scClcr and twinc bind
cr--to the rice industry. Where p:a
r!cs were intcrs2ctcd by n creek that
could Ee used 10 flood them they were
surrounded by Il small lcvec thrown up
with 4 road grader or II plow with wing
attachment. Large crops were pro
duccd. The prairies were practically
free from injurious grasses and the
water soft. The ricCliclds were han
died like the bonanza wheat farms of
Dakota, and fortunes were made.
Lcvccs were Chcaply constructed.
Little attention was paid TO drainage.
Work was carclcsSly done, the object
being apparently to plant Il large acre
age and secure Il certain number OF
bushels. Ultimate failure was certain
and FASTENED by succession of dry
years, in which creeks failed ana rcScr-
Voirs were found TO be expensive and
unreliable.
TO provide reliable supply &C water
pumping plants for raising water from
the streams were gradually put in. Tie
elevation of the praiiCS ahOv" TIE
streams varies from 6 to 3S feet, the
larger portion hriug from - to % feet.
At first farms along the streams and
lakes were irrigated. Gradually gar:;c
surface canals were constructed oh the
slightly elevated ridges of land which
exist III nearly every township. These
surface canals are built from 20 t. 1IH
feet in width. according 10 the area TO
he watercd. The sides of the canal are
raised from four to five feet with piowS
and scrapcrS or with grading machin-
cry. Side gates are inserted III the
cmhanlimcnt as frequently as neccssa-
ry. IatCralS are run from the main
canal TO accommodate remote farms.
Powerful pumping plants are erected
on the bank Of the river at the head of
the surface canal. These canals where
we'll constructed and operated prCyc
entirely successful and make the rice
crop practical certainty over a large
section of country.
Scarcely had the surface canals been
accepted Us Il success when southwest
crn Louisiana was startled by the an
nOunccmcut that there were strata OF
gravel 1T 125 TO 200 feet under the sur
face OF the entire section containing an
unlimited supply of water which would
of re lf
surface that it could be readily pump
ed
Pipes of two, three, four, six and
eight inches in size have been sunk to
the gravel and pumped continuously
for months without diminution of the
supply. Such is the facility with which
these wells are made that 4 sia inch =
tube has been put down TO the full
depth required, eco feet in II hours.
a system of such wells may be put
down 80 to 10 feet apart, and each one
will act independently and furnish as
much water as if it stood alone. Such
n combination of wells may be united
just below water level and all be run
by one engine and pump. Water rises
naturally ID t:.CSc wells to within 20
feet Of the surface, and n number of
H2WiH% wells have been secured. The
total cost of III irigatins plant suGi-
":;Ht f0r flooding eco acres is from
SLIGO II $4,000. 1t requires about 20
GAYS pumping for the rice season
SHch. il brief. is the new phase Of rice
culture in this country. rs pictured by
i'T. :. y. Knapp. n government eX-
pert.