The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-10-16

proved that they originated and were
given Out by parties whose purpose
was TO wreck the legitimate prices
that were being obtained for the
cereal and the result of their work
terminated in a demoralized market
for over ninety days. the rice men
realizing the trick that had been per-
petrated on them and positively It.
fusing TO part with their goods under
full values.
The ridiculous report that q 5,0OO,-
600 bag crop or larger would be raised
on the gulf coast this season was pG-
into circulation soon after the acre
age of this seasons crop had been
planted. As a matter of course it Is
premature even at this time to make
anything like a conservative estimate
as 10 what the exact yield Will b.,
much less name 4 definite figure on
the output. The report, nevertheless.
had a certain amount of the desired eff
feet. and since that time the millers
and planters have been compelled to
write thousands of letters to all sec
tions of the United States with a
hope of in some measure contradict
ing it.
Another report printed in a proml-
nent Texas daily during the past
week was to the effect that the crop
in southwest Louisiana this season
would be something "enoruous;"
that the rice now being harvested was
averaging from ten to eighteen bags
to the acre.
The truth of this matter IS thai mis-
section of the rice belt is only raising
an average crop: a crop much better
than that of last season. however. be-
cause of no Interference or difficulty
with the salt water problem during
the harvest season. which WAS the
cause of almost 30 per cent of the cror
being absolutely ruined. Some of the
rice now being harvested in this Sec
ton is running close to twelve bags
to the acre. but where you find one
farmer who is threshing twelve bags
to the acre you will find two Others
in the same locality who are only ag-
eraging six or eight. Big yields can
be found in all sections of the rice
belt. but they should not be singled
out and treated Is an average. The
farmers are not complaining at the
outlook, as an eight-bag yield WIZ
more than pay them for their labO"
and money invested. In some Iocati-
ties in the Texas belt the crop VIII
average ten bags straight through.
but this will only be found in terri
tory where rice has been planted O.:
virgin soil and where all conditions
have been most favorable since the
crop was planted.
With the exception of a slight colo
and rainy spell last week. the leather
for harvesting has been most favor
able. and the planters are employing
every available means IN removing
their crop from the field in time to
avoid any bad stretch of Weather that
may follow. Experience in the past
has taught them that When the gram
is ready to be worked on it is best to
n no nitl@ ~ -
ting it into the mills and warehouses
at the earliest possible date. Harves.-
ing is now general in all localities of
the rice belt. and the grain is now be-
ing thrown on the market at every
point from the LafOurche in Louisiana
to Brownsville on the Mexican border.
Those who have recently made u tour
of the belt in the two states say that
while the crop Will hardly reach a
much larger figure in the total than
last season. the amount of returns that
will be derived from it will sufpass
that of any previous season. They
give AS their reason that the quality
this year is superior in every way;
that the farmers made it a point when
planting to pay less attention 70
quantity and a little more to the
quality they produced.
The present condition of the rice
iildTheI Is very SIfohS. with an up
ward tendency. This. of course. is
partially due to the fact that almost
every one Of the larger markets III
the United States was completely daS-
titute Of the cereal when the new
roy was first thrown on. Then.
again, the consumption of rice in this
country is rapidly growing. while the
supply that will be required by Por,o
Rico this year viii likely be greater
than ever before. As the harvesting
season has only begun during Che
past two weeks. the receipts of tie
new crop are as yet very light. bat
what rice has reached the market is
gong at top figures