364 FIELD CROPS FOR THE COTTON-BELT 



the spring a short while before planting. In dry culture 

 the land is best plowed in the fall or winter. 



The depth of plowing must vary with conditions. If 

 good drainage facilities have been provided, deep plowing 

 is especially recommended. This should be immediately 

 followed by the harrow. After this treatment, the land, 

 especially if it is porous, should be gone over with a heavy 

 roller. It should be remembered that alkali often accu- 

 mulates in the subsoil just below the plowline and in such 

 cases a relatively small percentage of the subsoil should be 

 plowed up each year until the desired depth has been 

 reached. Relatively shallow plowing is preferable on 

 poorly drained, persistently wet soils; otherwise the wheels 

 of the binder will sink so deeply into the soil at harvest 

 time as to render the use of this implement impossible. 



Maximum yields of rice can be secured only when the 

 soil is in such a condition as will permit the preparation 

 of a relatively deep, thoroughly pulverized, level seed-bed. 



448. Planting. Rice planting begins about March 

 15th in Louisiana and Texas, and about April 1st in South 

 Carolina and Georgia. The planting season continues 

 until about June 1st. Usually for best results the crop 

 should be planted by April 20th. The Arkansas Station 

 recommends that the crop in that state be sown as early 

 as possible after danger of frost is over and the ground 

 is warm enough to germinate the seed. 



Seeding should be 'done with a grain drill when possible. 

 Broadcast sowing, while still common in many commu- 

 nities, should be discontinued, as by this method a uniform 

 distribution or germination of the seed is almost impos- 

 sible. Uniform germination is especially important from 

 the standpoint of securing uniform ripening. One to two 

 bushels of seed is the quantity sown to the acre. 



