The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1901-11-13
RICE GROWING WILL INCREASE.
Irrigation Expert Says Culture
Will be Extended.

Washington, Oct. 3o.-Frank Bond,
irrigation expert of the Department.
OF Agriculture, who has just returned
from southwestern Louisiana and
southeastern Texas, where he has been
pursuing Investigations looking to
the distribution Of the available sup
DIV of water over larger area than
It is now used to irrigate, predicts that
within the next Eve years Or so the
United States will be raising enough
rice to supply all the demands Of home
consumption and be able to export
largely to other countries. He called
attention to the fact that only few
wears ago the United States was rails
ing a very small percentage Of the rice
it consumed, while at present so per
cent of the home demand is supplied
By the growers of the Texas, Louisi-
ana and Carolina districts. It is for
the growers in the Texas and Louisi-
ana fesas that Mr.. Bond predicts a
future, S in the Carolina fields, which
are 200 years old, the character of
the soil precludes the possibility Of
the adoption of modern methods of
cultivation.
The rice growers industry in Texas
and Louisiana, however, is compara-
lively recent, and largely the result OF
the Agricultural Departments sue
cessful solution of the irrigation
problem which confronted the growers.
in those States. Irrigation of the rice
fields in Louisiana and Texas differs
materially from the method pursued
in the Northwest. Instead of bitches,
serpentine reservoirs built above
ground convey water through the
rice-growing districts. Water pump
ING stations have been built at inter
walls throughout the district, where.
huge Corliss engines of many hundred
horse power pump the water from
bayous into the reservoirs. When the
rice has been planted the fields are
flooded and the water allowed to stand
for seven days, when the fields are
drained. After allowing ten days for
the rice to mature, the rice is hard
enough to permit the employment OF
modern machinery in harvesting the
grain in much the same manner as,
the vast wheat crops Of the Northwest
are gathered.
It is with the problem of the rice
felds-that is to say, the determina-
ton of the least number Of water inch
es by which a successful rice crop can
be grown-that the department. has
devoted its greatest efforts. From the
Investigations made by Mr.. Bond, he
has arrived at the conclusion that
the vast acreage in Texas, Louisiana,
Georgia and Mississippi which it would
be possible to place under rice cultiva
ton could supply not only the de-
mands of this country but leave a
large margin for export.
The rice growing industry, he be-
lieves, will, within a few years,
through the efforts Of the Agricultu
raj Department and the planters, be-
comes Of great prominence. The State
of California alone used q. 000, COO
pounds of rice last year. OF this
quantity 5000, 600 pounds were
furnished by American growers, prin-
cipally in Louisiana and 1000, 900
pounds came from Japan, 25, 900 pounds
from China, and the remainder from
Honduras. The rice grown in this
country, Mr.. Bond says, is far supe-
rior, both in grain and polish, to the
Chinese rice, and there is no reason
, why, with its extensive cultivation in
this country, the price should not be
cut in half and the grain vie with the
American cereals as staple article
rf dot for Tho Amerioon roop1o