Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1900-07-18
RICE GROWING In TEXAS.
mr.. ASA E. GROVES TELLS HOW 1T is
DONE
Land Must Bel as Wet as a swamp-But When
Ripe. Rice is Cut With Harvester Like Wheat
$1,000 Crop Cat From OAcres- State Journal
C0rrespondence

Land Must Bel as Wet as a swamp-But When
! Ripe. Rice is Cut With Harvester Like Wheat
$1,000 Crop Cat From no Acres State Journal
Correspondence.
PORT ARTHUR. TEXAS, July ..
To THE EDIrOR:-I take pleasure in
giving you all the information | can re-
garding the rice industry in the south.
When You wrote me asking for letter
it was only theory with me, but now it
is mostly what have gained by expert
ence, that you know is tho best teacher,
but it will take more than one year to
get the ins and outs of the business.
Rice growing in the south is by no
means an experiment. This industry
has been going on for years in the Unit
ed States; mostly in the CaroliEas and
Georgia To some extent in the low
lands of Mississippi along the river,
where they could flood their fields by
the means of high tides They however
had a crude way in trans planting in
water and sometimes spr0uting their
rice and sowing broadcast, when it was
impossible to drain the landa Cutting
or harvesting 1t was possible only by
the use of reap-hooks. For ten years
the mode of flooding and draining tanks
has been going ON which has greatly
increased the acreage in Louisiana and
Texas. Modern machinery is used for
planting and harvesting. This makes
rice growing almost as ea ~ as the grow
ing of other small grains, with addi-
tional work of building levoes and flood
ing.
HOW RICE Is GROWN.
| came south January first, with the
intention of making strike in growing
rice in company with my friend, Fred
Hathaway, of Berlin, Wis. Aztec ar
irving we started breaking 800 aces of
prairie land, never before under the
plow or enclosed. Flowing was finished
in February and then we started build
ing levees. They are constructed with
a grader or pusher; plow being used to
make the base of from four to six fur
rows then the dirt is carried to the
center: which, when completed, makes
a ridge or levee from t2 to 20 inches
high A twin-levee or waterway is
made across the field, generally where
the nd is highest, connecting with
company canal and gates are placed to
let the water in each field as required.
Seeding is then commenced with drills
or broadcast seeders same as for any
small grain. When rice gets to be
hPANh Va saat NAAIlb va tSfii AuCutNt water
is turned in that is, if there is not
enough rainfall to keep the lands moist
This season there has been the heaviest
rainfall in years and rice could almost
be grown without flooding, but it is
uncertain and is done but little. Small
crops of from 20 to 30 acres are raised
by providence, ard in season like
this would make crop; last year being
the reverse; no rains TO speak of, dry
and hot and In many cases fields had to
be flushed to sprout the seed
HARVESTED WITH BINDERS.
Water is kept on the ground until
within two weeks of maturing. then
turned off to give the land chance to
dry for harvesting Binders are used
these machines being a little different
than wheat binders principally in run
ming gear 20 as to be able to run on
muddy land If not dried out sufficiently.
About the same threeher is used as ia
used for wheat. Grain is sacked and
sewed UP at the machine in large sacks:
when filed weighing from i75 to 2t0
pounds The sale of rice ia by the
barrel containing 1863 pounds
ltG ACRES NETS $40, 600
Now as to the profit in growing rice.
This modern method greatly increases
the acreage and grower can more
easily raise by the aid of machinery 800
or 400 acres than could be 25 or so by
old way. Of transplanting as is carried
on in foreign countries The Port
Arthur Rice and Irrigating company
opened their farm and pumping plant
two years this being their third crop
The first year they had 500 or 600 acres;
last year g 900 and this season there are
about B. coo acres on the canal they
themselves planting 700 acres. The cost
of producing is about $i5 an acre, the
second year less, for the reason the stock
and machinery is on hand which il the
largest expense the first year. The past
two years on this canal brought success
full crops with no acreage running less
than ten barrels TO the acre; from that
to twenty eight barrels. The last crop
named is unusually large and was pro-
dueed from imported Japan seed. In
| this crop / 10 acres netted the company
| around Sif 900 This to our northern
| friends seems almost impossible. but it
| in fact. The market price Of rice ranges
from s. TO 81. 80 per barrel.
RICE LAND BOOMING.
Where lands and water both are
rented 1t costs barrels each per acre.
which you see gives the land owner and
water company 81 TO g. per acre, leav-
ing the grower good profit on his crop
The ,e rice lands four years ago sold
for g. o St5 per acre. today from $40 to
$50 and if this is successful year it
! will bring from SaJ 70 $50 In the older
| fields of Louisinna lands sell as high "a
| 800 an acre. ! can say without hesita-
ZION that am well satisfied with my
new industry and from the prospects
now several years Of my life viii be de-
voted TO the raising of rice
A L. GROVES.