Lower coast gazette., 1909-10-02
Staff Of Life of Large Portion Of
Human Race.
Demand for 1t Rapidly Increasing and
Area for Growing Is Limited
One important Thing Is
Proper Drainage.

part OIL tHe human race, tSpptldll!t U
the class seeking a cheap, substantial
food. When merely hulled and mo-
polished ii is a perfect food; that is
to say, has all of the elements neces
sary to sustain life, and in proportions
that are we'll balanced as a human
food.
The polishing Of rice makes it look
better. keep better and hides the de
fectiVe grains, but adds nothing tt
its value as a food, but, on the other
hand, makes it less valuable, for whcr
polished most of the nutriment has
been removed, leaving practically
nothing but carbohydrates.
The population of the United States
is now about 90, 600 900 and increasing
at a very rapid rate, The demand fol-
rice will increase enormously and the
area for growing the crop is limited
Unlike wheat, oats, cor or barley
rice is protitably grown only in re
stricted localities.
In a general way a warm climate
and low, fiat land are necessary. The
n important thing on a rice farm is
drainage. 1t IS more important thar
irrigation, as it is cheaper to not plant
a crop than to make one and lose it
There are two classes of rice, called
upland and lowland, or rice that can
be grown without irrigation and tina,
which must have irrigation.
The upland rice can be grown In
rows and cultivated as is corn or sor.
ghum.
The water rice must be sown broad.
cast as wheat. or any other grain, and
be kept dry for three or four weeks
and then have the water turned on.
Some prefer to turn on the water and
allow it to stay a day or two, then
draw 1t off for a few days, then turn
1t on. repeating the process two or
three times. 1t is claimed that the
rice forms better roots and stools or
branches out better when treated
thus. There are many varieties of
rice In Japan, China and India, to say
nothing of the other countries that
produce rice. There are about $50
varieties in India, and the varieties
in Japan and China number in the
hundreds.
The Chinaman cultivates about one
acre, the Japanese three acres, the
Hind00 about the same, the South
CarOlinian Is acres and the Texan
1875 acres. The Asiatic work is near
ly all done by hand. They ever go
SO far as to transplant their rice from
plant beds to the field. This not only
insures a good even stand, but saves
time, for when the rice crop is plant.
ed possibly the rice land has some
other crop on it that has to be har-
vested before they a plant the rice.
The Japanese and Chinese make use
of their rice lands for growing crops
for the purpose of benefiting other
crops and helping the land by rota-
ton. The Mexican rice growers fol-
low the same practice with profit. The
Japanese grow the soy or SOFA bean
after the rice has been harvested.
This is a leguminous crop, and not
only furnishes rich. nutritious food for
man or beast, but enriches the soil to
a wonderful extent by developing
nitrogen in the soil from the bacteria
formed on the roots. The SOFA bean
Is a deep-rOoted plant, and it pumps
up from the subsoil potash and other
mineral matter useful to the plant,
and stores it on the surface, where
the surface feeding rice plant can
get 1t.
The Chinese, Japanese and Hindoos
have worked their lands from time
immemorial, and r still producing
very heavy crops. They have learned
to rotate and fertilize, a lesson for
the American, who often cultivates
a farm for a few years until he has
impoverished it and poisoned it with
red rice, and then moves on to a new
piece of land and begins the process
of ruin and destruction again.
We will fertilize the rice crops as
do the Asiatics when land becomes
dear and we learn more economy. 1t
Is generally conceded that it is only
necessary to put on potash and phos-
phoric acid as a fertilizer. The nitro
gen is not generally added, though
it Is reasonable to suppose that it is
as necessary on a rice crop as 1t is
On wheat or any other grain; how
ever, no very extensive experiments
have been tried in this country to
prove this fact,
The rice farmer should be careful
In buying his fertilizer to get one
that contains sulphate Of potash, as
the other forms of potash absorb SO
much moisture In the damp climates
where rice is grown that it is hard
to get it through a drill or get it dis
tributed. The common formula for
Texas and Louisiana is - per cent.
phosphoric acid and two per cent.
potash, putting on about $50 to 200
per acre, broadcast, with the
fertilizer attachment, when the grain
Is drilled. The time will come when
more will be put on to the acre or the
percentage of available p%hosphoric
acid and potash will be increased. The
fertilizer will not benefit the rice as
much as 1t would other crops as it is
so soon covered with water. and it is
a recognized fact that fertilizers do
not do so we'll in a very dry season
or on lands covered with water.