The Iuka vidette. (Iuka, Miss.) 1894-1912, 1909-11-04
Possibilities of Rice Culture in Delta

considerable demand in the Delta portion
for information concerning rice culture.
During the past two years great many
prominent planters in that section have
conceived the idea of going into rice
culture in an experimental way and en-
larging their plants according to the sue
cess attained Hon. Charles Scott, of
Bolivar county, is making an experiment
with rice, and while it is not known
positively what success he has attained,
reports from there are of an encour-
aging nature. One or two other parties
have made an experiment this year, the
result of which will soon be known. The
Mississippi Department of Agriculture
has gotten together all the information
possible upon the subject, and will give
it to the public from time to time. The
following extract from Farmers Bulle-
tin No. 305 contains considerable infor-
nation of valuable natures:
"Rice production in this country and
the acreage allotted to the crop has, in
recent years, undergone an enormous in
crease. AS pointed out by the Twelfth
Census, only 1912 acres were grown
in 1889 and 342,214 acres in 1899, while,
according to the statistics gathered by
this department, the area devoted to the
crop In 1905 was 4S2,479 acres, and the
total production for the year amounted
to 13,606.9S9 bushels. The first rice was
grown in the United States about the
middle OF the seventh century, and the
crop was introduced into South Carolina
about its close. For years our rice cul-
! ss2re was limited to certain sections along
he South Carolina coast, until within
recent years some of the prairie lands
of Louisiana and Texas were opened up
to the culture of the crop. During the
last four or five years good beginning
in rice culture has also been made i'll
Arkansas, with results indicating the pos
sibility of widely extending the area OF
profitable rice culture on lands not hith-
erto considered adapted to this crop.
'In 1902 the Arkansas Experiment
Station, in cooperation with farmer
who conceived the idea of growing rice
on Arkansas prairie lands, introduced
rice culture on limited scale in LonolSe
county, little southeast of the center
of the State. A good stand was OBJ
tanned from the first sowing, and the re-
suit secured demonstrated that the crop
can be successfully grown on these prai-
RE lands when proper irrigation facil-
tiles are provided
''The following year the station, in CO.
operation with the irrigation and drain
age Investigations of the Office of Ex-
pertinent Stations of this department,
sank we'll, installed machinery and
constructed leyees to put greater area
under irrigation. In 1904 ten acres were
grown, and although the crop was not
sown until late, it was successful from
the beginning, one plat yielding as high
as rs bushels per acre. In 1905 the
area was increased to 30 acres, but ow-
ing to unfavorable weather conditions,
only 25 acres were harvested. About II
acres of Honduras rice yielded 50 bush
els and about acres of Japan 67.53
bushels per acre, the average for the
two varieties being 57.s bushels.
'1n 1906 the average of rice was
greatly increased over that of previous
years. The industry had extended from
Lonokc to Prairie, Arkansas, Lee and St.
: Francis counties, and the total area de-
voted to the crop was about 5000 acres.
The total production was estimated at
over 100000 bushels. The season was
in many respects very unfavorable for
growing rice, yet where the soil was well
prepared, the crop planted early, irri-
gated properly and harvested at the right
time the yield was satisfactory. A
rain and wind storm on September 23,
when the late planting had not yet been
harvested, damaged the crop from to
~ per cent, and still greater injury was
sustained from an early frost in Octo-
Der. Much of the loss was due to late
sowing, on account of heavy rains, and
also the result of showers during the
period of pollination.
'For the Experiment Station crop in
1906 it was impossible to pillow the land
early on account of heavy rains in the
fall and winter Of 1905, and it was not