The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-05-24
THE GEORGIA RICE OUTLOOK.

In recent letter to the Rice Jour
nal and Gulf Coast. Farmer, Mr.. A.
E. Moynelo has an interesting article
on the rice growing industry.
Upon the organization of the Amer
lean Rice Distributing Company Mr..
Moynelo says:
This is certainly good news and I
congratulate all interested in rice in
Louisiana and Texas that such organi-
cation has taken place, for ii may
prove to be the salvation of the rice
industry in this country. Should mills
place their present stocks in the hands
of the company at once, l do not
doubt but that prices would advance
Immediately one-half to one cent per
pound, especially if only one good re-
liable rice man is selected in each rice
center to represent the company, thus
avoiding the necessary conflict which
would ensue were there more than one
seller. l do not pretend to advise, 1
would only suggest that the American
Rice Distributing Company study con-
ditions and act at once, which might
save much money to mills who have
not yet sold their stock of rice.
I'm my opinion the present depressed
condition of the rice market is OWNS
greatly to the imperfect method of
marketing rice-often one mill compet-
ing against another, the one accepting
the lowest price getting the business.
In this way a great deal of Louisiana
and Texas rice has been sold here and
all over the Atlantic coast this season
at prices which certainly did not pay
the mill or the planter
Il believe that the enterprise so sue
cessfully carried through by the mills
n mo
the rice industry in louisiana and
Texas, but increase it to larger proper
tons. Our section, too, will ne I'M
doubtedly much benefited by it and it
may be possible that many an acre of
rich land on the Atlantic coast now
abandoned may be put again under
cultivation. The American company
may therefore be a blessing to this
section as we'll as to louisiana and
Texas. l wish the American Rice Dis
tributing Company the greatest sue
cess possible.
Our market is in such a depressed
condition that 1 can hardly call it Il
market. Jobbers having bought large
~ at bottom prices are perfectly indie
pendent and only purchase when biz
bargains are offered them, Therefore
very little is sold at present.
Our planters have been very busy
preparing and seeding their fields ard
many have goods stands Of rice sown in
March. l noticed recently some pretty
rice with the stretch water on, which
looked Well though a little spindle on
account of the late cold snaps which
never do good to rice, especially when
it has water on. Rice is not watere3
here as it is done in Louisiana and
Texas: our rice lands are tide water
lard They can be covered with waite"
at every flood tide. and as our river
water is fresh it is used generously.
Others have described cur mode OF
planting and watering and therefore
ID not think you would care to hear o.
1t again, especially as the system could
not be put in operation in either Lou
isiana or Texas for want OF the neces
sary water, as it would be impossible
t. water rice there in our way with
pumps and wells. To water rice as
we do here it is necessary that fresh
water be controlled with tides seven to
eight feet up and down, so as to also
control the necessary drainage.
We have here opposite the city of
Savannah thousands of acres of the
finest lands in the world for the cult
walton of rice, not only on account Of
their great fertility but also because
they control a thorough system of
drainage and irrigation by the natural
fall and rise of the tide, always fresh
water, every twelve hours. They are
composed of a number of plantations
which We're the pride of Georgia and
South Carolina and which with few
exceptions have been abandoned on ac-
count of want of money with Whit h 10
cultivate them. Those plantations con-
tain dwelling houses, threshing mills
laborers cabins in great numbers, and