Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1904-08-27
THE AMERICAN RICE CROP.
Great Possibilities of Its Cultivation in
the Southwest

During 1902 about 10000 railway ears
of the average capacity were required 10
haul the product of the southwestern rice
fields 10 market. The crop at present
averages about 200O, 900 barrels annual
~ and could supply two-thirds of the
present consumption i'll the United
States. When il is remembered this is
merely what has been accomplished on
tenth of the area that is available for
cultivation in Louisiana aud Texas, an
idea Of the possibilities Of the region can
be gained
The agricultural and social develop
ment resulting from the influx Of people
aud capital into the section referred to
has progressed far beyond the expert
mental stage ana can he said to exist on
4 permanent basis. 1t has actually re-
suited in the formation Of Il new group
or community that is we'll worth study
ing. The residents OF the towns and
cities are as dependent upon the soil as
are the rice growers themselves. l'riot
70 the division of this prairie land into
fields, intersected by network OF canals
reaching from one end of the cultivated
district To the other. there was no I'M
.centive for town building, and had il not
been for the efforts of the little group Of
Iowa farmers who first began growing
rice hy modern methods, the country
would probably still he as poor and rs
sparsely settled as n half century ago
As the growers have proSpered, those
depending on them have prospered also,
aud the money into which the hayests
have been converted has been diStrib-
uted in a variety Of ways Wkile the
turner's have taken advantage Of science
and invention % aid them by employing
iaborsavlng machinery. they have not
neglected public improvements Their
70 hnVsa f,I, u
10 the growth of these communities in
other WAYS
IN a tour of southwestern Louisiana
aud eastern Texas it is easy for one 10
imagine himself in Kansas or Nebraska
town. for everywhere prevails the hustle
and hustle of the west.
The belief is prevalent that the con
sumption of rice in the United States has
but begun. Apparently rice is considered
an occasional rather than a staple food,
served merely to vary menu: although
i very large quantity is used annually 10y
the southcrncrS both white and negroes.
with whom ii is Il regular article Of diet.
lt IS unnecessary to refer to the opinion
of chemists who class the cereal as among
the most beneficial Of foods ana oi'e the
Fisor and hardihOod of the Japanese mud
other eastern races who suhsist 50 largely
upon it, as Illustrations of its good prop
critics
The southwestern rice grower is looking
70 the future; and although he has good
reason 10 be content with the ults al
ready attained he is far from bcng salts.
fed. He desires to compete with the Jap
anese and Chinese Ia the markets If the
world to send his rice To the Asatic
market. for he believes that quality
equal II not superior To the home grown
cereal can be sold in eastern Asia M u
profit yet lower than the native can sell
II. lie argues that the construction of
the Panama canal means IN incentive ~
further development Of the rice terri
rory that will cause the present activity
TO seem small in comparison: for the
canal means "A direct route not only to the
great market of the east, hut IT, the Pa
citic coast of both Americas Gunfon's
Magazine.