Rice

RICE. Oryza. Oriza sativa, and its varieties have been cultivated from time immemorial in Oriental countries as human food. It ranks next to wheat, as a sustenance for the human family as a constant food, however, it is only used by the nations of hot climates, containing a dense population. Asia, Africa, and sub-tropical North and South America are its principal areas of cul tivation, though it has been grown in the United States as far north as Virginia on the coast, and in the west as far north as Illinois. Alluvial bot toms that may be flooded at will, or tide lands above brackish water are the best lands for the cultivation of the varieties of aquatic rice. The leaves of rice are broad and leek like, the seed stems of the plant from four to six feet high, terminating in a panicle, not altogether unlike a panicle of oats. A species, adapted to dry land, O. Mutica, has occasionally been cultivated in the United States, even as far north as Virginia and Illinois, but its cultivation was unprofit able, the product being inferior; in some Oriental -countries this species is extensively cultivated. Indian rice, Zizania, or water oats, of several species, Z. aquatica, Miliacia. and fluitans, is common in all suitable waters in the West as far north as Minnesota, in pon ds, shal to w still streams, and ditches of gently and constant running water. It is not cultivated, but was an important article of sustenance to the Indians, who would tie the heads together in bundles just before ripening and when the seed was mature, beat it upon blan kets laid in their canoes. The green plants are eaten greedily by all kinds of farm stock, who will wade into water up to their backs in order to get the last blade. It also makes the best of fodder when it may be obtained without too much labor. (See illustration, Wild Rice.) Since the late war the cultivation of rice has declined in the Southern States, and other crops have taken the place of this once important industry there, perhaps, from the well known unhealthy nature of the industry. Within the last year or two, however, attention has again been directed to this crop. Therefore the means used in irrigation on the coast, and also in the delta of the Mississippi, these two systems will be sufficient to designate the proper means, in connection with different water systems. On the Savannah river tide water, the plan is as fol lows: Main canals, having sluices on their mouths, are dug from the river to the interior, about twenty feet in width; ana, as they very frequently extend across the whole breadth of the swamp, they are more than three miles in length. The rice plantations are subdivided into fields of about twenty acres each. The fields have embankments raised around them, with sluices communicating with the main canal, that they may be laid dry or under water separately, according as it may be required. Numbers of open ditches are also dug over the grounds for the purpose of allowing the water to be more easily put on or drawn off. In all cases the water is admitted to the fields as soon as the seed is sown, and when the young shoot appears above ground, the water is drawn off In the course of a week the crop usually receives another watering, which lasts from ten to thirty days, according to the progress the vegetation makes. This watering is chiefly useful in killing the land weeds that make their appearance as soon as the ground becomes dry But, on the other hand, when the field is under water, aquatic weeds, in their turn, grow up rapidly, and to check their growth the field is once more laid dry, and the crop is then twice hand-hoed. By the 1st of July the rice is well advanced, and water is again admitted and allowed to remain on the fields until the crop is ripe. This usu ally takes place frorn the 1st to the 10th of Sep tember. The water is drawn off the day previous to the commencing of reaping. It will be seen that large capitals are necessary in the culture of rice on the tidal swamps. A great expenditure of labor is constantly required to maintain the banks in good order, and to clear out the drain and canals, as well as to keep the sluices and valves in rEpair. The fact, however, of the rice grounds being higher than any land devoted to any other crop, is quite sufficient to attest the profitableness of rice culture. On rice grounds of the delta of the Mississippi, the culture is carried, on differently from that followed in the tidal swamps of Carolina. The Mississippi usually begins to swell in the delta about the end of February, and continues to rise till the 1st of June, from which time it again gradually subsides. It is thus in flood during the hot season. A ditch having a sluice on its mouth, is dug ft om the river toward the swamp. The land immediately behind the levee being the highest, is cropped with Indian corn and potatoes; but at a little distance from the river, where the land is lower and can be flooded, it is laid out in narrow rice fields, parallel to the river, inclining off from the river's edge. The narrow strips are banked all around, so that they can be laid under water after the rice is sown. The land is plowed in March, and shortly afterward it is sowed and harrowed. As soon as the young plants appear above ground, the water is admitted for the purpose of keeping the weeds in cheek. The crop grows rapidly, and the depth of the water is gradually increased, so as to keep the tops of the plants just above it. There is a constant current of water flovving from the river into the fields and over the swamp, so that there is no stagnation, and the fields are not laid dry till the crop is ready to cut. The only labor that is bestowed in the cul ture of the crop is to pull up by hand the weeds, which are mostly grasses; and this operation is effected, by men going to the fields knee-deep in water. The produce varies from thirty to sixty bushels of rice in the husk. The quality, how ever, is not equal to that of Carolina rice. The lands adapted to rice, the preparation of the swamps,the cultivation, harvesting,and cleaning, from a paper on the subject written for the United States Government, is as follows: In this article we will confine our attention chiefly to what is known as golden or Carolina rice. There is a species of bearded white rice, known as High land rice, but as it is unknown to commerce, of very limited culture and inferior quality, and not suited to the system of cultivation herein to be described, it will not command our attention. The best lands adapted to growing rice are those swamps and rush lands lying immediately adja cent to tide-water rivers, between twenty nine degrees and thirty-five degrees north lati tude. For the purpose of economical and successful irrigation they must be perfectly level. They are always alluvial, and consist of blue clay, yellow mottled clay, or black bay lands. The former two contain a large per cent. of isinglass, highly important to their value. There is another class of lands adapted to rice culture, known as inland swamps. These are large basins or lakes, surrounded by high lands, having water leads running into them, by which they are inundated. These basins, being drained, are easily reclaimed, and a portion is usually set aside as a reservoir for bolding a sufficiency of water for irrigating purposes. These lands, though not usually so prolific as the river swamps or tide-water lands, generally, under good management, produce a heavier grain, which is much sought after for seed. As a general rule they have heavier soils, are harder to cultivate and not so remunerative as the river swamps. Tide river plantations are usually located a little above the junction of salt and fresh water, and extend up the banks of the rivers so far as the rise and fall of the tides are sufficient for flooding and draining. This rise and fall should not be less than three or four feet, and six or eight feet is to be preferred, on account co, the more perfect drainage these latter figures afford. Rice plantations are located above the junction of salt and fresh water, from the fact that rice, being an aquatic plant, requires a vast amount of fresh water during its growth; salt water being fatal to it at all stages. These swamps are usually reclaimed by means ot embankments or levees, which are made high and strong enough to effectually bar out the river. Smaller embankments, called check banks, subdivide that portion of the plantation lying between the main river embankment and the highland, into squares or fields, generally from fifteen to twenty acres in area. These squares are all subdivided again into beds or lands, of twenty-five or thirty feet width, by a system of main ditches and quarter drains. Canals from twelve to thirty feet wide and four or five feet deep, are sometimes cut from the river embankment, through the center of the plantation, to the high land, for the purpose of introducing or draining off the water to or from those fields situated far back from the river. These canals also form a very conspicuous fea ture in the harvest scene, as they serve as a medium of navigation for the large flat-boats which convey the rice to the stack-yard in quan tities of eight or ten acres at a load; and as rice usually yields from two to three tons of straw per acre, t1;e value of this immense water car riage can be easily conceived. Flood-gates or trunks having doors at both ends are buried in the embankments on the river, as well as in the canal embankments and the check b Inks, those at the outlet of canals being so constructed as to permit the flat-boats to pass into the river. By means of these flood-gates or trunks the whole system or irrigation is carried on under the com plete control of the planter, and the lands are flooded or drained at will. The canals and ditches being all carefully cleaned out, down to the hard bottom—the banks neatly trimmed and free of leaks—the ilood-gates and trunks all water-tight, either to hold out or hold in water —the planter commences his operations, as early in the winter as possible, by plowing. These lands, being yearly enriched by alluvial deposits from the river, do not require deep plowing, four or five inches being generally sufficient to furnish a good seed bed, and on account of the numerous ditches subdividing the fields, a single mule plow is always preferable. When lands are plowed early in the winter and nicely shingled, it is of very great advantage to put in a shallow flow of water, and suddenly draw it off, in severe weather, for the benefit of freezing the furrow slices. But it is not a good practice to flood deep, as the weight of water packs the land, which becomes run together by the action of the waves, and renders good harrowing after ward an impossibility. Harrowing is usually begun only a few day-s previous to planting, in order that the seed-bed may be as fresh as possi ble, to encourage germination and, by its pliancy, permit the young roots to expand rapidly and take good hold on the soil, in order that the plant may resist the birds and a tendency to float. The operation of harrowing is perhaps one of the most important to the crop, and no consideration rnust induce the planter to slight it, as this is the golden opportunity afforded him for killing his potent and pernicious enemy— e., grass—his dread all the summer time. By breaking up every clod now, and exposing its roots and seeds to the action ot the sun, half the battle is won. Immediately after the harrow comes the crusher. which implement is not abandoned until the field is reduced to garden order. About the 10th or 15th of March, up to the 10th or 15th of May, the process of drilling is carried on—seeding from two and a half to three bushels of clean seed per acre. At this

juncture two antagonistic systems are encount ered, one known as covered rice and the other as open trench rice. Both have their advocates. The first system, or covered rice, is where the grain is covered up in the soil two or three inches deep, as fast as it is drilled in, which thus protects it from birds, floating away, etc. The other, open trench, consists in leaving the rice entirely uncovered in the drill, and taking the risks alluded to, in order to save time and labor, the grain being soaked in thick clay water before seeding, to hold it to the ground. The seed being deposited, the tlood-gates are immediately opened, and, if it be covered rice, and the ground pretty moist, the water is taken in as rapidly as the capacity of the gates may afford; and when it has attained a depth of twelve or eighteen inches, or deeper, if the check banks can bear it, the water from the river is then shut off, and the inside gate is closed, to hold in what water is on the field. The trash no.w rapidly rises and floats toward the banks, and it must be iinmediately hauled up with rakes, before it settles down on the rice. In the course of a few days the seed is carefully examined, and as soon as the germ or pip appears the water is drawn off the field to the bottom of the ditches, and kept out until the rice has two leaves. If the grain is planted open trench, as soon as the seed ing is done, the water is leaked into the field gradually, until the land sobs and the rice sticks, then it is flooded slowly until the above-men tioned depth is attained; the water is then held until the rice has good roots, or begins to float, and is then drawn off carefully. H ere all differ ence in the culture ceases. The rice having two leaves—or earlier, if the field is inclined to be grassy—the water is again let in to the same depth as before, completely submerging the plants, and is held to this gauge from seven to ten days, the planter being governed by the weather. If warm, seven; if cool, ten days. Then a leat is put in the gate and the water let off.gradually, until a general verdure is seen floating all over the field At this point the water is stopped and a mark set upon the gate as a gauge mark. To this gauge the water is rigidly held for sixty or sixty-five days from the day it first came on the tield. This flow, when properly managed, effectually de stroys all tendency to grass, and promotes a vigorous growth of rice It sometimes happens that, duriug this flow, the crop takes a check and stops growing. In this event to take off the water is fatal, as it will produce foxed rice, it must be held firmly to the gauge, and in a few days the plant will throw out new roots and go on growing. If the maggot attack it in this flow the water is drawn off for a day or two and replaced. And where water is abundant and easily handled, the maggot can generally be avoided by beginning, about the thirtieth day, to change the water once a week. To do so skil fully, both gates must be simultaneously opened at the young flood. The stale water will thus rush out and fresh water come immediately back with the rising tide to float the rice leaves and prevent them sticking to the ground in their fall. If the maggot gets serious the field has to be dried immediately and thoroughly. The maggot is a tiny white worm, which is generated by stale water, and attacks the roots of the plant, causing serious injury to the crop. The presence of the maggot may always be suspected by the stiff and mithrifty appearance of the field. If the land is fertile at the end of the sixty-day flow, it will be found, on drawing off the water, that the rice has attained a vigorous growth of about three feet, and is well stocked ,with tillers, while also, if the field is level, and the harrowing and pul verizing was thoroughly attended to before plant ing, no grass will be seen, nothing but rice and the clean soil beneath. The field is kept dry now for about fifteen or twenty days, or until the land dries off nicely and the rice takes on its second growth. And if there be no grass it ought not to be disturbed with the hoe, as the hands, at this stage, often do more harm than good. This, however, does not apply to cat tails nnd volunteers, which should, of course, be carefully pulled up by the roots, and sheafed and carried to the banks, to be disposed of by the hot sun. At the end of fifteen or twenty days, as above mentioned, the water is returned to the field as deep as the rice and banks can bear, never, however, topping the fork of the former. This water, where circumstances per mit, is changed every week or two, by letting it off on one tide and taking it back on the next, and increasing the gauge with the growth of the rice. When the heads of the rice are well tilled and the last few grains at the bottom are in the dough, it is fit to cut, and as little delay is per mitted as possible, as the rice now over-ripens very rapidly, and shatters in proportion during the harvest. The water may be drawn off the field from three to five days before cutting the grain, and the land will be in better condition for harvesting. The rice is cut from twelve to eigh teen inches from the ground, depending on its growth, usually from four to six feet high, and the gavels laid evenly and thinly upon the stub ble, for the purpose of curing and permitting the air to circulate beneath it. Twenty-four hours in good weather is usually required to cure the straw, and the binding does not commence before this period, and never while the dew is on the straw. It is safer always to cut from sunrise to twelve o'clock, and bind the previous day's cut ting from that hour to sunset. As soon as bound the rice is shocked up in wind-cocks, and at the end of a week taken to the barnyard and stacked up in ricks, thirty feet 16hg, eight feet wide, and ten feet high. A stake, four feet long, is put into the rick at each end for daily examination, and as long as the stake does not become too hot at its point to be held by the hand, when sud denly drawn out, the rick is not to be interfered with, otherwise it is to be pulled down, aired, and re-stacked. So soon as the temporary heat is over the grain is fit for the thresher. As soon as the rice is taken from the field attention is immediately given to sprouting volunteer and shattered rice, providing the crop lias not been allowed to remain in the field for an indefinite period beyond the week alluded to above. This is best accomplished by instantly flooding the field quite shallow, so as to promote fermenta tion, and drying it again every twelve or fifteen days, for a day or two at a time. This process is continued until freezing weather sets in, and if the season has not been remarkably cool it will be found that tnost of this grain is destroyed. Threshing as performed by steam power is gen erally done with great neatness and despatch. The main building is commonly built on a brick foundation, about sixty feet long by forty feet wide, having two stories and an attic; the first story being fourteen and the second twelve feet high, with what is called by workmen a square roof. At the side of this building is the engine house and boiler room; and in front of the main building, a little distance off, is the feeding room, which is connected with the second story of the same by a covered way which protects the feeding cloth. In the second story is placed the thresher, which, for a first-class machine, con sists of a cylinder forty-two inches in diameter and thirty-six inches wide, armed with 1,000 teeth. In the rear of the cylinder follow six revolving rakes with spring teeth, all of a diame ter and width corresponding to the cylinder. Under the rakes is a hopper which conveys the grain down to two large lans in the first story; from these the grain is taken by elevators and car ried to the third, or screening fan, on the second story, whence by elevators and spouts it is deposited into large bins ready for shipment. The feeding cloth consists of an endless canvas, bound with band leather and having slats riveted on it. It extends from the cylinder down to the feed room in the stack-yard. The rice is brought in sheaves from •the ricks to the feed room, where several hands are stationed for the pur pose of placing it on the feed cloth in close suc cession. The revolutions of the cloth thus keep a continuous stream of grain flowing into the cylinder, which in turn is relieved by the rakes seizing the straw, and after tossing out the grain they throw it out of a window in the rear into straw wagons below, kept ready to receive and carry it away. A good engine, with machinery of this descriptiou, will thresh and clean, ready for market, 1,000 bushels of rice per day. Now the grain is called rough rice; and is generally shipped to market from the plantation in cargoes of from 3,000 to 5,000 bushels at a time. On arriving there, if rough rice is in demand, it is immediately sold in that condition either to European- buyers or city millers. The former export it to the European mills, and the latter pound it in their own, and again bring it into market as clean rice, in tierces averaging 600 pounds net. Good, well-cleaned rough rice, weighing forty five pounds to the buskel,-will take about twenty bushels to make a tierce of 600 pounds clean rice. As rice pounding mills are very costly affairs, they are seldom erected by the planters themselves. The building is a much larger one than that mentioned for threshing, and the capacity of the engine and boilers very much greater. The rough rice is first ground between very heavy stones, running at a high speed, which partially removes the rough integument, or hull chaff. This chaff is passed out of the building by spouts, and the grain by similar means conveyed into the mortars, where it is beat or pounded for a certain length of time by the alternate rising and falling of very heavy pestles, shod with iron. These are operated by a revolving cylinder of huge dimensions, armed with powerful levers, which, passing into a long opening in the pestle, about fifteen feet in length, raise it and let it fall suddenly into the great mor tars below. From the mortars elevators take the rice to the fans, which separate the grain from the debris. From thence it anon thrnnah nthpr fang thAt divide it into three qualities, known as whole rice, middling rice, and small rice. The grain is fmally passed through a polishing screen, lined with gauze wire and sheep-skins, which, revolving vertically at the greatest possible velo city, embellishes it with that pearly whiteness in which it appears in commerce. From the screen it falls immediately below into a tierce, which is kept slowly rotating, and struck on two sides with heavy hammers, all the time it is being filled, for the purpose of obtaining its greatest capacity. The tierce, as soon as full, is removed and coopered ready for market. The cost of such a mill was $1,000 per pestle—fifty pestles being considered a good market mill. Good strong land, at a fair pitch of the tides, well managed and worked with labor that can be depended upon at all times, will average from forty to fifty bushels of clean rough rice per acre, valued at about one dollar per bushel. Aud ten acres to the hand, with good animal force, and only corn enough for provisions, is easily handled by a good planter, making an aggregate of from $400 to $500 per hand, gross. With the provisions alluded to above, the rice is one of the most agreeable and profitable to cul tivate; but,. on the other hand, if they are want ing, disappointment and failure are the natural results.