The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-02-24

Two or three years ago the Japa- nese in Texas made the experiment of transplanting a five-acre field of rice a method followed largely in Japan and this considerably increased their revenues.
 Big Profits Made.
 The beds were carefully selected and laid off seventy-flve feet long and four rect wide, with small space between. The five acres of rice yielded about thirty sacks of rice per acre. Each sack weighs 100 pounds. The product was of such fine quality that it brought s4 sack for seed purposes Irriga- tion Is extensively employed by the Japanese rice growers.
 Considerable wisdom was undouht- edly displayed by the Mikado and his advisers in deciding upon rice farm ing as the wedge with which to make dent in American industry. Japanese are, as rule, little skilled In the use of machinery. They leave it to Americans. They recognized, how ever, that with the problem of feeding 1 the great cities growing constantly more acute there must be rich orpor- tunfty in diligent farm work It was wisely noted that in the State or Texas there were as yet uncultivat- ed good farming lands greater in area than the entire country of Japan. Im- HOAulH5S tneTo nave been Dur- l chased by the Mikado and his friends at $11 an acre. and have rapidly multi | piled in value.
 It is said that since the first pur- chase was made profits agSregating $1,000,0O0 have been made out of the soil. The products have been disposed of In New York, Chirago and San Fran cisco,
 First the scheme of colonization and l rice faFmfnar VUo lw It was found that there the cost of living was so high that it was impos- | sible for the workers to make much of profit In America the Japanese farmer has land enough at his disposal to rai7e all the foods he needs for his table.
 Faithful to the MiIxado.
 To some extent these immigrants have adopted the manners and customs Of Americans, but the Mikado knows he need not fear a loss of their citizen ship. They all revere him not only as the imperial head of their fatherland, bupt as adeitz since he claims to be a descendant of that god who, Japa- nese believe, came down from the heavenly region to establish the em- pire.
 An idea of how profitable rice farm ing in Texas has become since the Mi- kado took a hand in 1t may be gleaned from the fact that land which sold from 50 cents to $15O an acre fin 1894 can not now be bought for less than $50 and In some cases brings as high as $70 The average of the crop. an acre may be placed at $s5, the cost of cul- tivatlon SIP
 In 1900 the acseage of rice planta. tions was but 10000; it Jumped to 100,- 900 the following year, and has steadily increased since.
 Tn devoting their attentions to rice the Mikados men believe they will an ticipate time in America when thii commodity will be used for food much more generally than at present.
 The per capita consumption Is now but about four pounds. notwithstand ing that 1t Is perhaps the most easil! digested of all foods, with a food valut far in excess of the majority of ar ticles of ordinary diet based on a pric' per pound. Tn fact the consumption i increasing materially
 That the Mikado should decide to in vest his money in the United states i no surprise to those who have watched the recent career of this remarkable ruler He is intensely up-to-date IT. has a business head, and is the posses sor of great wealth
 Although reverenced by his DeoDlA a