The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1909-12-18
RICE MAKES GAINS
Production Makes Big Jump in
Last I~sAty-F Four
Worlds Market Amounts to s15o.ooo,-
600 to soc, 100000 PER Annum--
Louisiana Leads In United
States.

Washington.-The growth OF rice
production In the United States, from
less than 100,0OO.00O pounds a few
years ago to over 600,000,000 in 1908.
lends interest to study by the bureau
OF statistics of the department of COM
merce and labor of the markets offered
for this particular commodity.
Rice production in the United States
seldom reached 100.0OO.O0O pounds per
annum prior to 1885. and had but
twice crossed the zoo. 100000 line prior
to 1900. Then came in 1901 a produc-
ton of 3SS. 200. 900 pounds: in 1903,
Sc. 900 900; in 1904, 5S6,O00,000 and in
1908. 60S.O0O. 900 pounds.
The rice production of the United
States in the last decade has thus
eQualed that of the half century fmme-
diately preceding. or. in other words.
the quantity produced since the begin
ming of the year 1900 has been as
great as that of the SO years from 1850
to 1900
Domestic production about eQualed
the imports, making an average annu-
al consumption ranging from 25O,OOO.-
900 to 400 100000 pounds.
Even during the recent period Of
large domestic production, importa-
tons have continued at about the
same rate as in former years. while
exports have been comparatively
small, limiting at a largely increased
domestic consumption.
The worlds market for rice, meas
uring this market merely by the i'm
ports of the, principal countries of the
world, amounts to from $150.000.000 to
$200.000.000 per annum. The imports
of rice into the principal countries of
Europe in the latest available year
amounted to about $S2 100000 value;
into North and South America, eXclu-
sive of the United States. $13.000,000,
and into Africa. S6.O00,00O
1t is estimated that the worlds rice
crop is 175,OOO.OO0. 900 pounds per an
mum, of which 6O,0eO.OOO.O0O are pro-
duced in British India, 100000 GOO
to so, 000. 000. 900 IN China. 15.0O0.000.'
600 in Japan. 6.75O.OOO.O00 in Siam,
$500. GOO. 900 in Java. 5,000,000,000 in
French Indo China, 5000. 100000 In
Korea, 2,75O,OO0. 900 in Formosa. $780,
0OO, 900 pounds in Italy and 500,00O.0OO
pounds each in Spain. Ceylon. the
Philippine islands and the United
States.
Rice forms the chief cereal food or
about one-haIf of the worlds popula-
ton, and wheat the chief cereal food
of the other half.
OF the COS, 100000 pounds Of rice
produced in the United States in 1908.
52.S per cent was produced in Louisi-
ana, 41.8 per cent in Texas. 2.2 per
cent in South Carolina, 81 per cent in
Arkansas, and the remainder in Geor-
gia, Alabama. Florida. Mississippi and
North Carolina.
This years rice crop in Arkansas
will pet the growers about $95O.OOO.
according to estimates thus far for
mulated, and under the impetus of the
prosperity which this will bring about
it is probable that the rice acreage in
the state will be nearly doubled next
year.
In September about 100000 pounds
of the present years crop were mar
keted in that state and twice that
amount was shipped. By February L
it is predicted that the entire crop Of
25 900 900 pounds. the produce of 49,
600 acres of land, will have been mar
keted.