6 RICE GROWING IN THE SACRAMENTO VALLEY. 



The Wataribime (G. I. No. 1561) (PI. IV), the Oiran (G. I. 

 No. 1562), and the Shinriki (G. I. No. 1642) varieties produce good 

 yields, but on account of the long period which they require for 

 maturity they may never become the leading rices of this valley, 

 because the late planting of them might result in the loss of a crop. 

 For this reason early-maturing varieties of good quality, though 

 producing less per acre, might be more remunerative. The other 

 varieties included in Table I are introductions from foreign coun- 

 tries that will be described and discussed in a later publication. 



SUGGESTIONS AS TO METHODS OF CULTURE. 



In selecting land for rice it is very important to know whether the 

 subsoil possesses the mechanical characters for retaining water, for 

 in the irrigation of this crop a continuous submergence of the land 

 for several weeks is required. Such a condition is not possible unless 

 the subsoil is sufficiently impervious to water, or unless, by tidal 

 irrigation, the depth of water upon the land may be maintained con- 

 tinuously when needed, regardless of the nature of the underlying 

 stratum of soil. On land that can not be flowed by the tides the cost 

 of submergence and the time required in the submergence depend 

 upon the depth of the soil. A soil with a depth of 20 inches is 

 preferable to a deeper one. because less water will be used and less 

 time consumed in flowing the land. However, heavy clay soils of 

 great depth that can be well prepared and drained may be used 

 advantageously for the crop, but comparatively shallow soils must 

 be underlain by an impervious subsoil or so located as to be subject 

 to tidal overflow. These details of irrigation, an item of great ex- 

 pense in the production of rice, must be considered to secure maxi- 

 mum returns. 



Soil of a compact nature seems well adapted to rice. Clays, for 

 this reason, if they are not too deficient in orgauic matter and can 

 be effectively drained, are preferred to other soils, because they drv^ 

 out more readily at the surface and become solid after the removal 

 of the water, making the fields accessible at harvest much sooner than 

 would be possible on the more open soils. The culture of rice, how- 

 ever, is not confined to clay soils, for wherever water can be econom- 

 ically handled by irrigation and drainage loamy and even sandy soils 

 will produce good crops. 



"\Mien not contrary to good farm management and the nature of 

 the soil will permit it, land for rice should be plowed in the late 

 autumn and well drained. With good drainage at this time the 

 alkali which has accumulated just below the surface will be Avashed 

 out by the winter rains. Furthermore, the action of the weather 

 during the dormant period will have the effect of pulverizing the 



[Cir. 97] 



