The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-06-26
AMERICAN RICE GROWERS
By Frederic J. Elaskin.

plantation of several thousand acres
cultivated thus. and irrigated by canais
twenty-five to fifty miles long. the wa
ter In which is pumped from hundreds
or artesian wells. and the latest type
of steam threshing machine and a mod
ern mill nearby 10 prepare the gram
for market, with the antiduated sys-
tenn prevailing In the Orient, There the
rice farm covers only a few square
rods. In one district OF Japan 400 sep
arate fields can be counted in an area
OF twenty-five acres. The soil Is usual
ly spaded by hand. although a slight
Improvement is noticed in the Philip-
pines, where the water buffalo draws
primitive pillow. When harvest time
comes IN the Orient. men. women and
children wade into the rice paddles and
cut the grain with sickles. Later TREY
hull the grain by pounding II In NOR
tar.
In the Southern States rice lands ara
sertilized by rotating with other crops
or by plowing under the rice straw ana
hulls or by use OF artificial fertilizer
The seed is sown by machinery ana
when the plants are about SIX inchea
high. water is let into the field to .
depth of several inches. being con-
fned by dyke or 1evee about foot In
height The water must be kept cover
ting the roots OF the plant for weeks. /
In that warm climate the soil Is like :
being absorbed by every acre during q
day. Before harvesting the water 10
turned off and the land dries out con-
siderably. After harvesting the grain
is shocked" for curing, great care be-
ing taken to prevent fermentation.
Having been threshed. the grain Is
taken to the mill. where the outer husis
is removed by machinery, the chaR
blown away and the grain polished.
Before this last process. rice Is brown
In color and is so consumed bv rice
eating peoples who thus get the full
benefit of the heterogeneous. fatty OUT
side. which adds wonderfully to the
nutrition and flavor of the grain.
Fashion in America and Europe, how
ever, demands a pearly white grain and
1t is made so by friction in revolving
cylindrical apparatus which is covered
with sheep or moose skins tanned to
wonderful degree of softness. The pail
atable brown powder is sold for
stock feed and fertilizer at three quar-
tiers of cent a pound
Whole grain Is most popular in the
American market and for that reason
the whole and broken grains are sep-'
arated before leaving the mill, the lat
ter selling for considerably less To
meet the demand for whole grain. ten
tons of the celebrated Kushiu rice was
imported from Japan by the Depart
ment of Agriculture in 1893. This va
riety produced 30 per cent or whole
grain, the yield is heavier, while grow
ing 1t wristbands the wind better, and
the stalk is excellent cattle feed. The
American rice crop is about equally d.
vided between the Kushiu and Hondu-
ras varieties.
Rice is depended upon by more peo-
pie than any other single crop, consti-
tuting as It does the chief food of half
the worlds population. A diet of three
fourths rice and one-fourth beans or
other legumes is said to be ideal for
maintaining the human machine. The :
worlds rice crop aggregates about 107,-
0o0,00o.oo0 pounds annually
Last year the United States produced
nearly $4,000 600 bushels of rice, having
a farm value OF almost $4,000, 000 up
on $4,000 acres. Besides this, America
imported $5.000.000 worth of rice. There
are said to be 100000 acres along the
Gulf Coast alone. adapted to rice cui-
ture With economy and efficiency az
watchwords, the American rice grower
employing the highest priced labors
can market his crop at the least cost
and the greatest profit. and he bids
fair soon to control the markets Of
From rice the Japanese make saKn.
or rice beer. and the Chinese mako
wine Rice figures In the religious
customs and superstitions of emany
countries. In Borneo this grain is rec
garded as living spirit and feassts are
held In honor of the genius which pee
vades it. In Madagascar there is n
belief that II rice is thrown or a flute
Is played before the grain is harvest
ed. a destructive hail storm viii fol-
low. The inhabitants OF the Island
of Celebes never entirely empty bows
of rice unless they are certain the vea-
sci will be reflled at once. The Arab
places rice on his roof To keep misfoS-
tune away. Among some Oriental PEG
pies. rice is thrown over the head of O
guest at festival in order to detaln
his soul. which, being too happy. might
be lured away by demons. The throw
ing OF rice at weddings had its origin
in very early times. the idea being TO
give good luck to the newly married
couple and, as one ancient authority
says. because their souls are like
birds, apt to fly away. and rice has tha
power of keeping Them
Copyright, 1909. by Frederic J.
HaSkin)
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