The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-05-30
LOUISIANA IS FIRST AS
RICE PRODUCING STATE
Coastal Prairies, with Their Irnper-
vious Subsoil, Are Especially
Adapted for Cereal.
GROWN BY IRRIGATION

WASHINGTON, May 29.-Chief Stats
tician L. G. Powers has transmitted to the
director of the census a preliminary state
ment concerning rice irrigation in Louisi-
ana. The report will soon appear in bulletin
form as a part of the volume Of irrigation
statistics.
Irrigation in Louisiana is restricted al
most entirely to cultivation of rice, in the
production of which cereal this State now
ranks first. A few farmers along the Mis-
sissippi river in the vicinity of New Or
leans report irrigation of other crops, prin-
cipally vegetables.
Rice is grown TO some extent throughout
the southern fourth of the State, with the
exception of a marshy strip about twenty
miles in width along the gulf coast. Within
this rice belt there are two regions where
conditions are especially suited TO its Guilt
walton. One embraces the lowlands along
the lower Mississippi river and its outlying
bayOuS; the other comprises the eNIensiN
prairies of southwestern Louisiana. These
regions are dissimlar in soil. and as a re-
suit different methods of irrigation and
harvesting are employed. The delta lands
of the Mississippi have a deep, rich, al
luvial soil, with an elevation little, If any,
above the banks of this stream. Those
along the Mississippi are in many places
considerably lower than the surface of its
waters, which are restrained by high le-
wees, siphons and steam pumps. Owing to
breaks in the levees, caused by food, the
difficulties to be overcome in draining the
plantations and the, unsuitability of the sol
| for the use of modern machinery, the rice
| industry in this part of Louisiana has de-
| veloped but little in the last six or eight
years.
Louisana's present prominent position
| among the rice growing States is due tC
| the discovery of the peculiar adaptable itI
| of the coastal prairies TO the cultivation
and irrigation of rice. This adapta biiitA
was first demonstrated by the large yield
| of irrigated rice in 1897 which Immediately
caused a great influx of immigrants anC
capital. These prairies are level, with z
slight slope toward the gulf, and have
| ten naVigable rivers and numerous lake:
| and bayous.
| The soil is not deep, compared with thai
| of the delta lands, but has proven to b'
| wonderfully adapted to the cultivation o.
| this cereal. 1t is underlaid with an i'm
| pervious subsoil which plays importan
| part in the economy of rice irrigation
| This subsoil not only holds the water OF
/ the land, but gives compact base. so tina
| when the irrigation season is over and tn
| levees are opened, the water runs off rap
| idly, and the ground becomes firm enough
| for the use of the latest improved machin
| cry.
The prairies are never more than sevent,
| and generally twenty to thirty feet abov
| the surface waters of the streams an,
| bayous. Throughout the region are numer
| Gus ridges, slightly higher than the res
| canals are built by throwing up parable
| leveeS from the outside, making wha
| might be termed an overland canal. in
| stead Of cutting below the surface. Pump
ing plants at the heads of the canals If
| the water from the stream into the mail
| canals. whence it is carried by gravity Z
the point Of diversion on the land. o.
| some Of the large canals more than on
pumping plant is frequently required
| owing to the necessity of several lifts I
|