New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1910-10-08
THE RICE SITUATION.

1
The last week in September flnd
the Honduras crep practically al
undcr cover IN Louis ana ant
Texas and the harvest and thresh
ling well advanced in Arkansas
The harvest season has been fay
,urable and rice has been N goo.
condiion to thresh. The haryes
has therefore made more ordlnar.
progress. Japan has begun t'
come into the warehouses on tn
Gulf Coast and the first week il
October will see the Japan harves
well advanced.
The beginning of the harves
was marked by rany weather
which interfered for a few day
and resulted in some Of the re
ceipts being wet and soft, but at
ter the first few days the weather
was such that thus far the croI
has been saved in good condition
On the river the wet weather was
apparent in the grades more thai
in Southwest Louisiana and Texas
Arkansas has thus far had uni
Iformly good harvest weather. The
grades of rough thus far harves, !,
ed have been above the average OF
last year. In Southwest LoulsI-
ana and Texas this IS due TO the
fact that red lands have been LAID
out and only the better lands
planted Grades have been better
on the coast this year than in sew
eral seasons past. The reports
from Arkansas indicate that
grades there are even better than
last year.
The yields per acre on the river
have been about the same as US
ual. On the Gulf Coast the yields
have been better in Southwest
Louisiana and eastern Texas be
cause the poorer lands have not
pulled down the averages, but in
parts Of western Texas the yields
have fallen off on account Of lack
Of water. The yield in Matagorda
county is estimated by some to be
not over twenty per cent of last
years yield.
The acreage on the river has
been materially increased, South
west Louisiana acreage is decreas-
ed nearly a third. Texas acreage
is about the same as last year and
the acreage of Arkansas has near
ly doubled. The net acreage IS
somewhat reduced. Careful crop
estimates based on the best avail
able information place the river
crop below 100000 and some esti-
majors place 1T as low as 100000,
as against about $4,000 prior to
1909. 1t is generally believed that
the total crop will fall short of
last year about half a million, max
ing ;.his crop in the neighborhood
Of five and Onehalf millions.
1t is agreed that the crop is th
cheapest one ever raised since the
American rice industry reached its
present proportions. Less seed
has been wasted, less ineffective
acreage has been prepared and
planted and less expense has been
incurred in watering and harvest
ing poor crops. Farmers through
out the rice belt have raised more
stock. poultry and forage crops
than ever before.
The outlook for continuance OF
the valuable advertising work OF
the Rice Association of America is
not bright. Contributions have
not been coming in as freely as
formerly and there is disposi-
tion On the part Of some former
contributors to discontinue alto
gether. The Associatin has dis
tributed during the year 100000
cook books, three million leaflets
and a vast amount Of miscellane us
advertising, besides securing val
liable newspaper and magazine
space for the discussion of the
food value of rice. This work.
which has been done on capital
of less than $4,000 has resulted
in marked increase in consump-
tion and in the general interest
taken in rice. The Association
will make determined effort to
raise funds necessary for the con
tribution Of the campaign.
The rice market opened at the
beg nning of the season ON a bas-
is lower than usual but. with the
exception of brief squirt in Sept
ember, did not hold up to the
opening prices. A remarkable
feature FER the rought rice market
this season has been the fact that
river rices have actually sold I'M
der similar grades from Suthwest
Lou siana and Texas. On account
of the rapidity with which the
rough crop has come into the mar
ket offerings have been untaken
and farmers have withdrawn their
rice from the market where it was
possible for them to do 81. 1t is
the prevailing opinion of rice men
of experience that the statistical
position of rice at this time JUS i
fies the prediction that it vii adj
vance in price. The consumption
has increased over that of last sea-
son and the visible supply is not
as large as it was one year ago.
Nice Country Home and four