Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1917-08-09

late he poor potato has become as
scarce as attractive heiresses and they
are as eagerly sought after. Many u
~disconsolate lover has found that an
other sister Of the starch family is
possessed Of attractions second only to
her expensive sister, and today the
eating Of rice Is becoming general
throughout the country.
1t isn't q bad habit to acquire, either,
this eating of rice. Rice Is nutritious
and palatable and dIgests well. 1t can
be cooked quickly. without the neces-
sity of troublesome preparation and
without waste. 1t Is almost a perfect
substitute for potatoes, and 1t forms
the basis for the food supply of over
%two-thirds Of the peoples of the world.
In fact, practically every other coun
try in the world consumes more rice
than the United States, on the basis
Of population, and its enforced $
here, due to war conditions, ought to
prove a benefit to our people. Rice
has been grown IN this country for
. more than two hundred years, the
: growing areas being restricted, how
ever, to several of the Southern states.
e Within the last few years California
t has entered the field as a rice pro-
1 Queer, and the development Of the crop
S In that state has been remarkable.
t From 1900 acres planted in California
Z in 1913, the acreage has grown to Co..
d 600 acres In 1916, with a crop valued
S at over four million dollars. The 1917
e planting will exceed 100000 acres. The
total devoted to rice culture In the
Is United States Is about 100000 acres
H. and the 1916 crop amounted to 40,
ID 102, 900 bushels. This Is less than hal
r, the quantity consumed in this coun
Ie. try, however, MS great quantities ar
H. imported from the Oriental countries
er Japan, n great rice producer. has NOR
to than two thousand varieties of rice
ad but there are only three or -four va
rieties grown In this country.
m Rice, like oranges and lemons, re
quires certain favorable conditions 70
its growth. The climate must b
MI warm, with plenty Of sunshine an
nd hot days. The land must be pract
cally level, with plenty Of water avail
ke able. The top soil should be undel
'al laid with n subsoil that Is impervlou
to water. The subsoil should lie nec
eo the surface, for n deep soil require
more water and more time for It's sui
lite mergence than a shallow one. Goo
drainage Is necessary to get the Ian
nj in condition quickly for harvestir
to and to prevent the crops from becol
re; ing waterlogged. Like all cereal CROP
rice should be harvested quickly aft
the 1t reaches maturity. One of the gre
' difficulties which the Southern grove
had to contend with was their inabili
Int to get on to the land quickly to hi
Vas vest the crops after the water HI
been drained off. In California I
growers have solved this problem
using small but powerful ball-tre
Ire, tractors that run on their own endle
irst track, and are capable Of pulling I
nee harvesting machinery through m
9. that would mlre horses. These tr.
act. tors, by reason OF their auaptaolllty
the changing conditions, are also used
the almost any kind Of work on the ran
and They will do the blowing and check
'ude Of the land. will haul supplies to a
. Of from markets, will pump water fr'
eth. the irrigation bitches, or the motor v
und turn q feed mill or churn the but
Tres, for the housewife.
title In rice culture the size Of the a
'edl- depends largely upon local conditio
ntry Where the land IL very level, a a
tine may range from sixty to eighty acl
while In other localities the field c
not be larger than one pr two acl
In Oriental countries. where all
new labor IL done by hand, the fields a,
Vhat age half an acre In aren. An waite
ided required to stand Mt q uniform de
him - .Srt-. .l4n IL Vneut nm,