The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1900-02-13
FARM AFT AIRS.
THR RICR INDUS TRY.

C,rrespondenCe Of the Progressive Farmer.
The people of the Uaited States con
sumo over 800 600 600 pounds of rice
every year, less than one half of which
is ero vn in our country. This cereal
forms the principal food Of one-helt
tho population Of the world. It is used
az q substitute for potatoes, made into
four, forms a dainty desert, and is a
valuable nouriahing food product.
Good rice soil produces from 30 to 10
bushels per acre. A bushel weighs As
pounds and the general market price
81 to 81 so per bushel-giVes fair in
come from an acre. Add to this the
D by products, straw; hulls and broken
Agrain, and the prcfi5s are large. The
G3uigiana Experiment Station reports
rice polish worth S21.5O per ton, rice
bran, 90 80; rice straw, 80 13; and rice
bulls. IS "a per ton. From these figures
it would appear that the industry is a
profitable one that should no longer be
neglected, when such q large area may
be cultivated.
Rice can be grown successfully in
moist climates, where water can be
had for irrigation. The Department
OF Agriculture rep2rts that the plant
can be grown anywhere South Of the
Ohio river, if suitable soil and climatic
conditions prevail. The estimated
area now subject to irrigation for rice
culture is given at 3. .OOO. 900 acres, ex
tending over several Southern States.
The crop is, at present, almost entirely,
grown in North and South Carolina,
Georgia and Louisiana. All the At
lantic and Gulf States have large areas
that nay be used proitably in rice
fields. As the demand for rice in
creases every year, it it is but reason
able to suppose that the acre
age devoted to this crop will soon
be doubled. The Chinese authorities
give l 400 varieties Of rice, of which
the irrigated kinds are the best. They
have tried uplRad rice with very I'm
satisfactory results, still it is recon
mended for sub irrigated land.
4 low muck soil is best adapted TO
rice culture. The land should be thor
oughly prepared for drainage and irri
cation before planting After being
pl0wed and narrowed it is soWn broad
cast, at the rate Of one and one half to
two bushels per acre. March and April
are favorite times for lanting. TIE
gold seed and white varieties are con
siderad most profitable.
Toe use of the proper forms and pro
portions of phosphoric acid, nitrogen
and potash, is as necessary on rice as
any o5aer crop. Is is difficult to pre-
scribe formula that will suit all soils,
though in a general way, it may be
said that a fertilizer containing about
% par cent. each OF ph0sphCriG acid and
potash and 3 per cent. nitrogen, IL
well suited to rice 45O pounds per acre
l7 fair application, Another good
NIX uro for rice would be about 800
pounds acid phosphate, 800 pounds
Aaiais and 200 pounds cotton seed
meal par acre. Itis a good plan to ap
ply the fertilizer before sowing time
8a1 work we'll into the soil.
When the plants are six inches high
Tue nr5s irrigation is given, by allow
'lR the water to partly cover the
P.aat3. Some growers wait until the
pants are about one foot high before
putting on the water, and then keep
| suo ground covered, taking care, how
ever to draw off the old water coca
-''oalIg, to prevent spoili3g the crop. |