Imperial Valley press., 1944-03-12
Expert Writes
On Valleys
Rice Industry
Professor Mackey
Completes Study;
Is Aid to Grower


One of the best known author
tiles on rice growing in Imperial
Valley is Professor W. w. Mackie
of the University of California
extension service, who spent a
year studying rice growing in the
valley.
His findings were welcomed by
valley farmers as this crop is ccm-
p,ratively new and many problems
are incident to its production.
Professor MacEie declared that
rice growing is one of the best
known means of clearing valley
land, of slkali, being much more
efficient and satisfactory than just
teaching it. .fa
Publishes Article
Before his departure from I'M
perial Valley at the conclusion of
his year CT study, Professor Mackie
J, published an article on rice in "The
Rice Journal" His article follows
With the completion Of Boulder
Dam the irrigation water of the
Imperial Valley was cleared CT ex-
cess silt and a good supply of water
made available at all times. This
enabled the rice crop to again
start in Imperial Valley, about
four years ago. However, many of
the rice farmers suffered consider
able losses due to the many prob
lens confronting the new indus
try. The main problems which
caused trouble to the rice growers
we're included under poor irriga-
tion methods, appearance of scum
on the young rice, improper rate
of seeding per acre, late dates of
planting, appearance CT weeds in
the rice fields and climatic con-
diticns unfavorable for rice growth
These problems have been attack
ed any many of them overcome.
The ,icc experiment station,
which was planned to answer many
of the cues ions arising from the
problems just listed. included over
l2o 10th-7cre rlo's.
Tie study of the control of cat
tails nroied 10 he very interes irg
The oil cattails in the lice fields
are found to be readily deGtrored
by blowing beneath the rhi2ones
and bulbs anG allowing them tC
wait Until hey turn brown inside
If the discing end floating is Ccne
before The roots Gle the cattailr
again grow when the water is ar.
piled previous to seeding of rice
Furthermore the young cattai't
= we're found tc be almost crmYlet
ly controlled and grow h p"even;ea
by drying tie lan8 down &C. tina
The rojl is posed to The ri. about
a week after the rice is gC,min-
a.ed.
Red Stem, another lice weed pest
WIS overcome by thick seeding
This Was true to n considerable
ex ent with cattails and othi
weeds.
The v'Ors. pest in the rice fiel'
consists # scum a. fresh .7Ma.eI
algae. Thee plans a"e always
Present in the irrigation water
since it has been de-2ilted. The
scum begins TO grow Immediately
after floodinq The land previous to
sowing The rice seed from The air.
plane.
IF the wa rr is kept so de~D thai
the roIn~ seedlings 70 not emerge
- rapidly into The air, the scum
covers them so completely that
thev orc clcoged down and event.
ual'y. die Tkc~e which survive are
so weakened bv The attacks that
the mot,ue plants procure straight
heads wi h very little seed in them
Shallow water at seeding time
End foc scme time thereafter, to-
Eeh'er wi h the draining of The
watcr nj thc end Of week CT ten
days. will effectively control the
scum menace.
BlueGtone has been used to over
cCme scum by placing it in sack
in di ches. BY this mearS the
scum faS been CHECKED am if a
hervv cosGco is used comp'e. ely
Gos'roved. This p'ocr dule. while
effective is costly and much Slow
err than the me .hod described
al eve.
The desert soils surrounding and
intlrGin~ Imperial Vallev arc low
in phosphorus. We tes cd, in many
cxpe, imprts, ,he various rates OF
application of nhcf phCruS per are
end found it effective in both the
10th-acrC rlCis and in the larger
fielts. When nitrogen was includ-
ed viii the phosphorus in the
formula Q1-48) the effect was ev-
ident Immediately and showed in
the .stifeening of the straw, reduc-
tion of blast, kernel and increased
yields.
How Treated
IT appears from these tests that
rice planted on he land TO" the
second year should be treated with
phosphate fertilizer at the rate of
at least $50 lbs. per acre
The tests with the rate of seed
ING, which varied frcm SO lbs to
: $50 lbs. per acre indicate that ITO
lbs. or IT'S lbs: per acre are be,t
This coinci.ed with the rate ad-
vised during the past season, while
light seeding per acre tended tC
increase by tilleiing so that they
differ but little from the ITO lbs.
Arate. The rates up to $50 lbs. also
tended towards this mode but sent
out less suckers. The thinner
seeding however permitted con-
siderable growth CT weeds and cat
tails while the thick seedlings pre-
vented this and caused earlier and
more even maturi y t
Twenty varieties of iice. includ-