Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-02-04


| in the watered districts have doubled
and trebled in three years. Land that
was drug on the market at from S. to
$40 per acre before now brings from S15
| to $50. and in many cases is not on the
market at all. This increase is due
solely to the rice industry, for rice Gull
ture is limited to prescribed territory,
and available land is rapidly being
bought UP by corporations and individ-
uals. and every indication points to SUN
! greater advances in price. Well watered
rice land now commands a cash rental
of from 81 to $40 per acre, or crop
rental OF one-fifth.
From an experimental 800 acres
| planted in rice al Eagle Lake, Colorado
county, three years ago, the industry
has grown with incredible and unprece-
denied rapidity. 1t has been estimated
that the acreage planted last year was
100000 and there will be correspond
! ingly larger increase this year.
| The Colorado river, a stream of about
the same size as the Des Moines river
in Iowa, is already dotted with pumping
stations for q distance of about 100
miles from its mouth. and it is estimat-
ed that with the plants already in
stalled and those in project for next
year practically all of the water flow
! ing down that stream in the future will
be used for irrigation purposes Last
year it's water gave life to probably 49,
600 acres of growing rice. Just what
this means can hardly be realized until
one views the immense pumping plants,
the miles of canals and lateralk and the
fields of waving grain, thousands Is
acres in extent in practically one body.
Heretofore the Brazos river has been
untapped. mainly because of the higher
prairie, as compared to some
other rivers but as 1t Is a
still larger sctream than the Colorado
| its undeveloped field of use
fulness is unlimited.
AT the present writing work Is under
way on a large canal to be taken out
of the Brazos near Fulshear and an
other company composed OF Illinois
capitalists are projecting an immense
canal enterprise which ii carried out
will be the largest of it's kind in the
rice district. They contemplate in
stalling pumping plant on the Brazos
river at the old historic town of San
Felipe, about four miles from Sealy,
to furnish water for canal which will
ultimately reach a length of 20 or 100
miles and carry water to more than
| 100000 acres OF prairie land. Think
of single canal project that will re-
quire an expenditure of 100000 and
two years time to complete. Actual
work has not yet commenced tho the
proposed route has been surveyed and
the right of way secured for as far as
| 1t will be possible to construct it this
year.
! These large enterprises Of course re-
Quire unlimited capital and can be
carried out only by wealthy people, but
/ in we'll irrigation is found the oppoI-
tunity of the small farmer. In one
locality near here 1t la possible to get
an abundant water supply from wells
only 40 feet deep while in other places
1t is necessary to go deeper But be
the we'll deep or shallow it affords a
convenient and effective method of ir-
rigating, not only rice, but other
crops as well and many contend that
the water from wells is better for tho
| purpose than that taken from the riv-
ers and lakes.
| AT the locality where shallow wells
are efficient are a number of model
| plants which successfully irrigated a
large acreage OF rice last year. owned
and operated almost entirely by north
ern people.
The great development OF the rice
industry in Louisiana and Texas in the
past few years is due almost solely to
the enterprise and capital of northern
| nd their az nf h
DDS and machinery of wheat raising to
that of rice. Ten years ago Crowley.
La, was hardly more than wide
place in the road. Today it has pop
ulation of about 10000. has 5 banks
and large rice mills and is considered
! the most prosperous town in southern
Louisiana; and 1t is due almost entire
| ly to Iowa people and Iowa capital in
developing the rice industry.>
Right here word as to what an
acre of rice will produce and what ii
is worth may not be amiss The aver
age yield IS estimated at from 10 to Is
sacks of 1862 pounds practically four
busheD per acre and it brings in price
from s1.15 to $500 per sack, accord
/ ing to the grade, probably an average
of SO per sack. But yields of as high
as 25 and 80 sacks per acre have been
noted and in many places an average
of as high as 16 sacks per acre has
been harvested on large acreage.
And this on land that cost probably
$40 per acre. Consider the propor-
tionate value of crop to land in COM
parison to the higher priced lands
in the north and remember that rice
crop is almost an absolutely sure crop
when once the question of adequate
and infallible water supply is solved.
Variation in seasons meaning mainly
more pumping in dry weather and less
in wet
The rice industry has, however, been
greatly overestimated by many, in
fact with some has been a veritable
craze. Lack of experience and con-
servatism has caused disappointment
and failure in many instances where
enthusiasts thought that 1t was only
necessary to plant the seed and in a
few months harvest an abundant crop.
Careful consideration, ample means to
carry out whatever is undertaken and
first, last and always. plenty of water
will, believe in every case make rice
growing successful venture. Thor
Iough knowledge of what is essential
and careful, conservative business
methods will win, not only in rice
venture, but in anything else.
The railroads entering Texas are
bringing hundreds of prospectors
Into the state every month, many
of whom are locating belieyeing