22 THE TEXAS RICE BOOK. 



they are flooding over 12,000 acres. Other irrigating companies 

 have a like increase. 



As last year was the first of this new method of raising rice 

 by flooding they had many things to learn, and consequently the 

 yield was not so great as it would have been with more experi- 

 enced men, yet the results secured were so satisfactory as to war- 

 rant the tremendous increase in acreage. 



The average yield last year was ten sacks per acre, which 

 sold for an average price of $2.50 per sack. As one man can 

 cultivate 100 acres of rice, even this yield appears to be a more 

 paying crop than cotton. 



The question of what is to become of the renting class of 

 farmers in Texas seems to have been solved by this new industry, 

 for to my mind it presents the greatest possibility with the least 

 risk to the man without money to make a stake and finally secure 

 a home for himself. To the renters, these land and irrigating 

 companies furnish land, water and seed for one-half the crop, 

 and also furnish a house to live in during the time they are en- 

 gaged in making the crop. If the renter makes only eight sacks 

 per acre (and no one has gone under that), and secures $2. 50 per 

 sack, he has made $10 per acre for himself and the same for his 

 landlord. Estimating that he can cultivate 100 acres, he will have 

 $1,000 for his services for six months' time, less the expense for 

 harvesting and threshing, which will probably be about $300, 

 leaving $700 net profit for his services. This is putting the esti- 

 mate at the lowest possible figures, while it might run much 

 higher as much as twenty-five sacks per acre having been made 

 by the more experienced rice-growers. 



Rice lands that are close enough to the canals to be furnished 

 water by the companies sell at from $10 to $25 per acre. The 

 owner of a rice farm pays one-fifth of his crop for water rent, 

 and thus takes the company into partnership and makes it to their 

 interest to see to it that he has sufficient water to properly flood 

 his fields. 



Texas is at present the greatest cotton-producing State in the 

 Union, and as the cotton acreage in Texas is the main factor in 

 setting the price of cotton, the indications are that in ten years 

 the market value of rice will depend largely up>pn the acreage of 

 this State. As rice can be produced at a profit of 75 cents per 

 bushel, there appears to be little danger of this industry being 

 overdone for several years at least. But let not the reader of this 

 article think that rice-growing is all sunshine, as the rice farmers 

 tell me it is a very disagreeable pursuit. However, the results 

 obtained appear to justify the privations one is compelled to en- 

 dure. 



Truck farmers and horticulturists are learning that this part 

 of the coast country is well adapted to their specialties, and 

 there is no doubt that many will engage in fruit-growing and 

 truck-gardening, who prefer that method of tilling the soil to 

 rice-growing. 



M. C. SCOTT. 



