The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-07-14
LARGE PROFITS MADE
BY IT'S CULTIVATION
Plenty of Water Is Needed and
That the Many Artesian Wells
of the State Afford in Exhaust.
less Quantity.
: BY HERBERT vANpERHooF.

in the world. The state Of Texas e.
pecially that section tributary to San
Antonio, is admirably adapted to the oul-
ture Of rice, on account Of tho level LANDS
that are found thereabouts. the excellent
quality Of the soil, the abundance Of
water veins, not far removed from The
surface, thereby enabling the farmer to
sink his artesian wells with little or no
difficulty, at the same tine securing an
abundance Of water and, finally with
plent Of farm hand available. %
cultivate harvest and market h!s crop
within 8 reasonable cost, thereby making
rice growing a profitable industry.
AS regards the histor7 % the rico grow
ing industry In the United States, X In
presumed that the first crop was grown
and harvested near Charleston, S. c., two
centuries ago. but it was not until a gen
GRAFTON ago that efforts were made of any
magnitude to grow rice in the Southwest.
western Louisiana being first favored in
this respect go 800
In examining the outlook for rice crons
In the San Antonio district have learned
in the vicinity of eJnnings, La. years ago
when the industry was inaugurated in
that section Of the country on large
scale. The country in and about San
OF Louisiana with the exception that
there is a much larger water supply
around San Antonio.
The Benefit of Machinery.
Rice culture is very profitable indus
try. and at the same time is not a very
difficult one. In the early days of the
cultivation of these crops the farmer was
greatly Handicapped by lack Of proper
tools.of proper machinery, but with the
righteousness of the American mind. ma
chinery has taken the place of the crude
methods Of the early farmers until to-
day thousands of acres of rice can be
cultivated in fewer days than it took
men months to complete the same work
in before.
Just to show how Texas is coming to
the front in the. growing and harvesting
ped 'G by sG Rs Hnea States
of Agriculture and the special reports
made from time to time on the rice
growing industry Of the state: The stride
today, Texas stands second only to Louis
lana in this industry and may pass that
state within the next year or two.
The lands about San Antonio are adj
growing is not very much unlike that Of
wheat. the difference being in regard to
irrigation: During the growing season
on. the other hand, wheat does not re-
quire so much. Good wheat land will
produce a good rice crop. according to
mate of southern Texas is excellent for
this purpose, rice growing in this dis
trict is favored a great deal. Another
thing in favor of rice growing in the dis
susceptible to good drainage and the SUBJ
soil is near enough to the surface to
permit good drainage. AS the water
SUPPLY psnt from Of the eah IL far mt there
struction Of canals through which the
water can be run into the. rice fields.
- The blowing Of rice is done generally
The magnificent weather conditions OF
the San Antonio district enable this work
to be completed before March SO that
weeks ahead Of his neighbors in - other
sections Of the state; and this work can
be accomplished whether the land is wet
or dry. Planting can be done. either early
in this district. continuing up to June!
The working of the soil is much easier
than for other crops, as it is not neces-
sary to work the soil below six or seven
BY Products Of Rice.
Rice Is a very valuable product OF thu
soil. Besides being the best food titled.
it produces about twenty pounds of bran
This latter product is extensively used
In the arts for making shirt buttons.
piano keys. door knobs. and other similar
| articles that resemble ivory in appear
ance.
Regarding the cost of rice crops it is
rather difficult to make estimates. be-
| cause the cost depends upon the condi-
tons Of cultivation. Experts have fig
ured approximately the cost of prtsiuc-
ton. and in some instances where the
yield has been ten barrels to the acre.
! tivation, neat sum has been made.
OF course II the land is unimproved the
net result of the first years cultivation
will be, greatly reduced. but after that
there are instances of rice cultivation
in Texas where the investment has paid
10 per cent the first year and 40 per
cent the second and following Years.
trict of San Antonio is comparatively
easy. The RAILROAD facilities are excel
lent, there is a good home market, to
| say nothing of the Mexican market. and
as the consumption Of the article In
America Is growing steadily the future
for rice cultivation in Texas is good.
Today lands can be purchased at a rea-
years these lands will soar until they
are double, and probably treble. In value
to what they are today.
Money In Truck Farming.
Besides the cultivation of rice in the
the truck gardening Of its farmers. Dur
ing my recent visit to Texas I met q
young market gardener just outside OF
San Antonio. and he invited me to ride
/
tunity Of learning something regarding
truck gardening from one who knows.
embraced the opportunity and mounted
to the seat beside the young farmer.
'How's business?' I inquired
I Mighty good" was the response to
my question.
| Been here iong7'' asked.
Nigh on to five years." he answered,
land in that time I've done heap sighT
of business. Why, when left Iowa FIVE
years ago all had was railroad ticket
and $40 in silver Today I've got the.
finest farm, bar none, and I've got q
| house that should make you city fellows
| ashamed Of yourselves to work In the
city while we farmers down here are
coming money. Land! Why land here
is worth its weight in gold. Look at
| those fields there"-pointfng to acres Of
corn and wheat-"why wouldn't live up
North again. with the opportunities that
can be found here, for anything. I tell
you, sir, IL you want happiness, pros-&
perity, and wealth, come right dowE here
and you'll be rich In no time" Il
Yes, but after you grow your hikN
crops. is it easy to market the prod
ucts?" asked. Il
.'Why the people of sau Antonio VIII 4
eat up all the vegetables we can grow \
and then the produce men Of the nortt \
are yelling, for US to grow more. Isn't
that enough?"
I thought it was, and as we drove fntf
the market square shook hands WITH
my new found friend, and Inconsistency
he gave me q grip that almost broke na1
fingers,