The Pulaskian., 1920-06-03
ARKANSAS SECOND
 AS RICE GROWER
RICE JOURNAL DESCRIBES INDUS TRY IN ARKANSAS AND STATES CHANGES OF INVESTMENT
 ARE BETTER HERE.


 rlcultureal developments in the his tory of the entire country, the rice industry of Arkansas rose rapidly in ten years time, until in 1911 that state ranked second in rice produc- ton among the States of the Union. says the Rice Journal. The industry Tn California also had remarkable growth, and in 1917 passed Arkansas Ill production, further increasing her yield in 1919, when she passed Texas. The yield given by the United States Department of Agriculture for Arkan- sas in 1919 was 6,162,0G0 bushels on an acreage of 158,000, being an aver age of 39 bushels to the acre. It has been demonstrated that with use of fertilizers no bushels of rice can be grown to the acre in Arkansas under favorable conditions. In 1919 Arkan- sas ranked next to California which was the first state in production per acre. The State Agricultural Depart ment reports the total value of rice produced in Arkansas in 1919 as ST. 789,000, including the value of the straw.
 The Arkansas rice territory may be divided into seven districts-in fact, that division is made by the Southern Rice Growers Association, who have district agents and offices at seven points, as follows: Stuttgart, Arkan- sas county; Weiner, Poinsett coun- ty; Hunter, Woodruff county; Gillett, Arkansas county; Wheatley, St. Fran cis county; Carlisle, Lonoke county.
 Though Japan and Honduras rice were the principal varieties grown at the beginning of the industry in Ar kansas, the American rices propagat- ed by Sol Wright have rapidly taken their place until in 1919, out of a to- tai of 157,8S5 acres, sixty-eight per cent of all rice produced in the state was of the Sol Wright varieties, as follows: Early Prolific, 48,02S acres, or 30.42 per. cent; Blue Rose, 56,550 acres, or 35S2 per cent; Edith, 2666 acres, or 1.69 per cent Other varie- 1 ties produced were: Honduras, 19,- 021 acres, or 12.61 per cent Carolina, 27,573 acres, or 17.40 per cent; Japan, 9,S67 acres, or 2.44 per cent. The American rices undoubtedly gained in acreage the past year, though the figures have not yet been given out by the Association.
 The Arkansas rice district is con sidered by many as the most progress sive in the country. Certain it is that the Arkansas rice growers have been quicker to adopt the most modern methods for handling their crop. Portable mechanical conveyors and el- eYators are found on many of the Arkansas rice farms, enabling the farmers to handle their rice without sacking it. The mills of Arkansas are also equipped to handle bulk rice the same as the other grains are handled in the North, and this at considerable saving in both labor and sacks. to the farmers.
 A sub-station of the Arkansas De partment of Agriculture was estab- lished at Lonoke in 1904, and but for the work done at this place there
 
 try in the State. Through the appro- priation for the experimental work there was merely enough for the work of man and a team to be carried on, through cooperation with the United States Department of Agricul- ture and the State experiment sta tions at Fayetteville, it was proven conclusively that rice could be pro- duced in Arkansas county at a good profit. Subsequent work in fertil- izing and drainage has proven very valuable to the industry.
 The following is taken from an ar ticle by George H. Dacey of Wood stock, H., and gives a good idea of rice growing in Arkansas
 Rice farming in Arkansas presents an attractive opportunity to the countryman who possesses an abun- dance of sound common sense, and who has sufficient funds to insure his getting a good start. In many sections of the State the light, fluffy soil, that ranges from 15 to A inches III QSDllt cllQ ID QttQCllcllQ DJ u0IhDdu which assures of the water being held on the land after the soil is saturated with moisture subsequent to flooding, is ideally adapted to rice cropping Usually this soil is of virgin richness and in addition to productive crops of rice, which will not uncommonly avs craze more than 60 bushels to the acre, it will also yield bumper outputs of corn, oats and wheat.
 It has only been during the last few years that rice has been raised on any scale in this Southwestern area, and, in consequence, the prop- Iosition still offers a a.maximum profit. both from the standpoint of actual farming or from an investment van tage ground, as the land is cheap