MODERN RICE CULTURE. 



17 



binder, and its use on any given tract of land is determined by three 

 conditions: First, the land must be susceptible of thorough drainage; 

 next, an impervious substratum of clay must underlay the land; and, 

 finally, the harvesting season must be moderately dry. Without these 

 three conditions the twine binder is impracticable. The machine is a 



FIG. 13. Reaper and binder for harvesting rice. 



FIG. 14. Harvesting rice in Louisiana. 



t 



heavy one, and unless the ground is dry it will sink so deeply as to be 

 very heavy to pull. In addition to this the drive wheel becomes so clogged 

 with mud and bits of straw that it slides along the ground instead of 

 turning, and, in consequence, the knives are stopped. 



Whether the physical condition of the soil will permit of the general 

 2212 2 



