Imperial Valley press., 1915-11-04

san Francisco. Nov. Rice has ae-
quircd new meaning in this country
once it meant pearly grain grown
only in tropical Asia. that served as
basis for desserts Now it means to
us square miles OF green fields, thou
sands of tons of freight for our river
steamers and railways, a mighty rush
for traction engines. sclf-binding har-
VeStcrs and threshinE machines and a
demand for warehouse space and ele-
vator and mill capacity, and call
for capital to supply the great demand
for staple food product.
Rice has changed in the United
states from a novelty TO mighty ag-
ricultural and commercial impulse
This change has taken place almost in
season and the rush for investment
i'm this new industry is one of the first
evidences that capital has awakened
to the immense possibilities of rice cul-
ture.
Unusual Importance is attached to
the successful introduction of rice here
because il Is u worlds staple. The
rice demand il of such vast proper
tions that the United States produc-
tiou Will be readily absorbed No pos
sible expansion of the rice industry
here can affect materially th<worlds
market. All of the rice now produced
i'm this country. including that from
the great fields OF Louisiana and TcN
as. comprises les than ono-half of /
per cent OF the rice crop of the world.
The worlds crop of millcJ rice lasl
year was 15S.77o.27G.ooo pounds.
Rice doc not crowd ont grain or
fruit crops. but utilizca the "hardpan''
lands An uafatling supply of warm
river water IN this land changes tho
desert into a waving grccn carpc.
when rice is planted.
Rice i'm the tropics is grown in stand
ing watcr aud harvested by coolies.
who thresh il cut by hand. or it il
troddcn out by oxen ON some ancient
thrcshing floor The bare-lccecd
ooolic and the OK are too slow t, Ear-
vc-t a 3.ooo-acrc field i'm 3 weeks i'm
California (Which is rapidly becoming
a rice growing ecutcD and nothing but
tho best American harvcsters can han
die a crop of this magnitude.
TO operate ii harvester requires a
firm soil. therefore. TO meet conditions
i'm water for . months. must become
dry i'm about > days or harvesting is
delayed. Thfs demands 81 Soit that is
impcrvious 10 water and thar will not
soften deeper than "a few inches t.
remove the water quickly over an area
of several square miles requires uni
form drainage slope and drainage
channel which has am established chan
mel that does not flood other lands.
swamp lands. tule basins. er rich
river bottoms are not rice lands
Rice can be grown there. but il can
not be harvested by machinery. Tho
growing rice requires a hot climate.
and conditions that would shrivel grain
stimulate rtce. provided an average
depth of from I to S inches of va
ter is maintained over the entire tract.
Rc, is immune from fires. as the
>tubblc is green a harvest ;ime and
viii NOT burn.
Tn" California state University has
been paving mu.h attention To rice
since 1912 and the experimental farm
at BigEs is demonstrating the pseaue-
uvity and food value Of many differ
au- varieties.
Rice requires long growing season.
from Apru 10 October. and it is I'M
portant TO haep the ovop fully harvest
eel before Tie fall rains start. A. rice
grows tu perfection only on flood ID
land It r qaires constant operation IF
irrigatine canals end pumping plants.
For those reasons rice that will ma
tur" i'm Il shorter season means a dc
crease IN irrigation costs. and also a
more certain crop. Rice exports are
therefore nursing choice varieties OF
carly maturing tendencies.
The most successful and most adept
rio, growers are the Japanese. BY the
minimum of labor ard by the simplest
means they have solved the field proh-
lem or irrigation. They have achieved
community action" in work of this ma
turc aud work in harmony for the com
mon good.
one group of japanese in California
has formed company and has leased
1900 acres IN ono single tract Their
radical as In attract tho following OF
Victor Murdork and his group