The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-04-03

CBy Gerald Mccarthy. Botanist. N. c.
Department OF A~griculture.)
! The North Carolina department OF
agriculture. in cooperation with the
national department. has this spring
distributed among the rice growers OF
the state 200 trial packages OF a new
variety OF rice. This Is a low hand
rice. imported from Japan In 1888 ~
the United states department OF agri-
culture Its points OF superiority over
the common Golden. Honduras and
Carolina seed are that the seeds are
tough and horny and the breakage In
milling is only IL TO Is per cent.
against 40 TO 20 per cent. for the Amer
lean varieties. The Japanese rice. too.
yields from 25 to 80 per cent. more than
the American varieties. The quality
is excellent. The Japanese variety re-
quires a slightly longer season thar the
American varieties. IL should be plant
ed from two to three weeks earlier
than the common rice. 1t is recon-
mended that persons experimenting
with this rice shall divide the seed in
TO three parts, viz: one-half to be
planted and treated exactly as ordi-
nary low land rice; o~ne-fourth similar
ly planted. but given only one-half the
usual mount of irrigation. the re-
naming one-fourth to be planted ON
very moist soil and given no water ex-
cept that supplied by rain and the
store in the soil. II should be shallow
ly cultivated and kept from grass.
Rice normally requires a moist soil.
rich in organic matter and ammonia,
but not peaty. Ordinary rice lands
flooded from tidal rivers are usually
amply supplied with potash. but may
be lacking In ammonia or phosphorlc
acid or both. 1t is recommended Ina
in testing the new Japanese rice the
soil is to be enriched at time OF pre-
pairing he land. The following In a
good for rice fertilizer for one
or two acres: Cotton seed meal. eee
pounds; acid phosphate, $50 pounds;
muriate of potash. so pounds. A sur
plus of nitrogen IN soil tends to pro-
duce a tough, horny, good milling seed.
Too much phosphoric acid tends to
produce brittle, mealy seed. In excess
OF potash tends to harden and increase
the weight of the seed, but does not
inJure its milling properties. 1t helps
early maturity and is therefore very
valuable In this state, especially for
the japanese rice.
Rice possesses very great adaptive
powers. III the new rice should prove
to be in the main too late for the ell
mate, by selecting seed from the earl
lest plants to ripen, there is no doubt
but that in a few years we can secure
an acclimated rice which, while pos
SeSsing all the good points OF the origf-
nal STOCK, Will mature 2 few weeks
earlier and therefore be safer to plant.
1t Is recommended that this rice be
planted in drills, not broadcast. For
the part OF crops not irrigated or
flooded the seed should be soaked in
water twenty-four hours 1ust before
planting.
The crops should be harvested as
soon as the straw begins to turn vel
low at base and while the grain is stu
In the stiff dough state. This will Civ
a n~1 a.
If allowed to become dead ripe. and
more of it. Tie in small bundles and
shock on dry ground. The heads of
sheaves must not be exposed TO the
sun while curing In shock. The shocks
should stand until the straw is well
cured and the grain hard. 1t will i'm
prove quality of both grain and straw
to cover the shocks with the oiled mus
I'm cloths sold by implement and seed
dealers for covering clover and other
nay plants while curing. Slow curing
in the shade causes the rice grain 10
become tough. Rice well cured in
shock may be threshed without stack
ing. A few suggestions concerning the
pests of the rice crop will not be cut
OF place here:
l. MEALY, POOR-MILLING GRAIN
AND SUN-CRACKED SEED.-These
are due mainly to late cutting and a
relative deficit of nor in the soil.
'Sun-crack" is caused by exposing
heads Of sheaves to sun in drying. For
remedies: Turn under leguminous
crops, or fertilize rice fields with night
SOIL, stable manure OF cotton meal or
fish scraps. Cut rice when seed Is In
stiff dough and cure in shade.
FRED RICE.-This is a different
species from cultivated rice. Like all
weeds, 1t is harder than related cul-
tivated plants. White rice does not
turn to red rice nor vice versa. But
when both species are present in the
field they readily hybridize. The RENE
dy is to exterminate the weed from the
held by hand labor and use OF smoth-
er1ng crops like vetch after rice
has been harvested. Seed rice should
De grown from specially selected seed
on a spot known to be free from red
rice.
3.-RICE BIRDS.-The rice bird ia a
difficult pest to repress since il does
not breed in this state or remain long,
er than a few weeks at q time. The
most promising remedy Is to grow on
the borders Of the plantation the So
called wild rice-Zizonia aquatica and
L.. miliacea. These furnish the chief
: food of the birds I'm their northern
breeding grounds. These wild rfcee
in our coast region where the soil Il
swampy They are not true rices ana
Will not hybridiZe with cultivated rice
The seeds can be bought Of most New
York seedsmen.
4-ALKALINE SOIL REMEDY
Deeper blowing in fall. Deeper drain
age
Mr.. j. II. StrfuoaeId Of panaa. naaa