368 



FORESTRY AND IRRIGATION. 



September, 



to more than 51,000,000 in 1890, and to 

 172,732,430 pounds in 1899. 



During the periods preceding the cen- 

 sus year of 1890 and continuing up to 

 1 894-' 5 the areas in rice were mainly 

 on the lowlands along the lower Missis- 

 sippi River and its outlying bayous. 

 Being comparatively level and low, with 

 a slope from the streams, these lands 

 are subject to overflow unless protected 

 by dikes to confine the river to its chan- 

 nel. Drainage is as essential as irriga- 

 tion, and the ditches are made to serve 

 the double purpose of carrying water 

 upon the land for irrigation and draw- 

 ing it off when the crop is ready for 

 harvest. 



The water supply for the lowlands is 

 obtained in various ways, the most com- 

 mon being by means of a flume or 

 " dahl " in the river levee, constructed 

 on much the same principle as the trunk 

 which is used in the Carolinas in irri- 

 gating plantations on tidal streams. 

 The ' ' dahls ' ' were formerly made of 

 sound 3-inch cypress planks of one 

 length. This was supported by three 

 brick walls built so as to extend some 

 distance below the top of the wood- 

 work to keep out crawfish and musk- 

 rats, which would otherwise work along 

 the flume and create openings in the 

 levee. The present flumes, under the 

 requirements of a state law, are made 

 of iron without brick supports or mor- 

 tar protection and are not as substantial 

 or satisfactory in all cases as those of 

 cypress. 



The land cultivated in many of the 

 plantations was formerly planted to 

 sugar cane. As it lies below the sur- 

 face of the river, siphons are replacing 

 the flumes and take the water from the 

 river over the levees. The siphon is 

 usually made of boiler iron, heavy 

 enough to be calked the same as a 

 steam boiler. Powerful steam pumps, 

 taking the water from the river and 

 bayous, are used on several of the large 

 plantations. 



Another method of irrigation is by 

 the use of tiles, which are placed at a 

 certain distance below the surface. By 

 stopping these at the lower end of the 

 field the water is forced up through a 

 layer of earth until irrigation is no longer 



required, when the plugs are withdrawn 

 and the water passes off the land through 

 the tiles. This system is especially ad- 

 vantageous in a season of excessive rain- 

 fall. All of these methods are expen- 

 sive, and failures are numerous owing 

 to inadequate drainage, breaks in the 

 levees, and frequent floods. 



The discovery a few years ago that a 

 vast area in the southwestern part of 

 the state is admirably adapted to the 

 cultivation of this cereal, revolutionized 

 the growing of rice in this country and 

 placed lyouisiana far in the lead among 

 the rice-producing states. This rice belt, 

 extending north from the Gulf for a 

 distance of 20 to 90 miles, is an undu- 

 lating, gently sloping prairie, having 

 ten navigable rivers and numerous lakes 

 and bayous, and comprising over 12,000 

 square miles in Louisiana and Texas. 

 At first the rice was cultivated in an ex- 

 ceedingly primitive way, the land being 

 laid off in blocks and squares and irri- 

 gated with rain water collected and 

 stored for use when needed. The suc- 

 cess of this method, while not extra- 

 ordinary, attracted many farmers, and 

 the country began to develop rapidly. 

 It was found that "Providence" rice, 

 as all rice grown by the aid of rain water 

 is called, was not always a profitable 

 crop. Experiments proved the value of 

 abundant irrigation, and quickly demon- 

 strated that the prairie soil, when suffi- 

 ciently watered, was unequaled for rice 

 growing. This marked the beginning 

 of the real development of this industry, 

 which has made wonderful progress in 

 the three years preceding the census. 

 In 1899 the acreage in rice in southwest 

 Louisiana was more than 77 per cent of 

 that of the state. 



Rice irrigation on the prairies is com- 

 paratively simple. Throughout the re- 

 gion are numerous ridges slightly higher 

 than the rest of the land. It is upon 

 these ridges that the canals are built, 

 varying in width from 20 to 100 feet. 

 Branching from the main canals are the 

 laterals which run to outlying farms. 

 The pumping plants at the head of the 

 canals lift the water from the streams, 

 whence it is carried in the main canal to 

 the point of diversion on the land. 

 More than one pumping plant is re- 



