44 THE TEXAS RICE BOOK. 



JEFFERSON COUNTY, TEXAS. 



BETWEEN FIFTY AND SEVENTY-FIVE THOUSAND ACRES IN RICE. 



Beaumont, Tex., December 8. It would be difficult at pres- 

 ent to give anything near a reliable estimate of the number of 

 acres that will be planted in rice in Jefferson County in 1901. 

 This year there were 30,000 acres, and conservative men figure 

 between 50,000 and 75,000 acres next year. In all probability the 

 acreage will reach 50,000, but if it exceeds that the planting sea- 

 son will have to be favorable and the irrigation plants now in 

 course of construction will have to reach a point where water 

 can be guaranteed to farmers when it is needed. It would prob- 

 ably be safe to estimate the rice crop for 1901 in this county at 

 500,000 sacks, which, at the present market price, would be 

 worth nearly $2,000,000. 



ORANGE COUNTY, TEXAS. 



MANY NEW RICE FARMS WILL BE OPENED. 



Orange, Texas, December 8. Inquiry among the rice farm- 

 ers of this county develops the information that the rice acreage 

 in this county will be increased fully three times next season. 

 This year the acreage was in the neighborhood of 5,000 acres, 

 and for the season of 1901 a conservative estim-ate places the 

 probable acreage at 15,000 acres. The Cow Bayou Rice and 

 Trust Company is preparing to dig an irrigation canal six miles 

 in length and expects to put in 4,000 or 5,000 acres. The Orange 

 County Irrigation Company will extend its canal four miles and 

 contemplate putting in 4,000 acres. The Des Moines Rice Com- 

 pany will also put in an increased acreage. All who were in the 

 rice business this year will continue in it, and many new farms 

 will be opened up. It is reported that the Magnolia plantation, 

 which was not cultivated this year, will be purchased by other 

 parties and cultivated next season, and, if so, the acreage will 

 reach nearer 20,000. Very little cotton and cane are raised in 

 this county, 300 bales of cotton being average crop, and it will 

 hardly go above that next year. 



MATAGORDA COUNTY, TEXAS. 



ACREAGE WILL REACH FIFTEEN THOUSAND AND PERHAPS MORE. 



Bay City, Texas, December 8. The increase of acreage put 

 in cane for 1901 over 1900 will be about 400 per cent. 



There were about 750 acres of rice grown in this county this 

 year and from present appearances there will be 15,000 acres or 

 more planted in 1901. The probable increase of rice acreage for 

 1902 will be very large, and can not, at the present time, be es- 

 timated. 



