RICE 221 



Honduras, but the yield is greater. The Honduras has a 

 large grain, a tall, stiff stalk, and is not so easily blown 

 doftTi." (S. A. Knapp, in Farmer's Bui. No. 110, U. S. 

 Dept. Agr.) 



200. Soils and fertilizers. — Since rice is usually grown 

 on land subjected to irrigation and thereby enriched, 

 fertilizers are seldom employed in the United States on 

 this crop. Hence relatively little is kno-OTi of the fertilizer 

 requirements of rice. In oriental countries, rice is highly 

 manured. 



Experiments in Louisiana indicate that phosphate in- 

 creases the yield and that potash probably helps to harden 

 the grain and straw. 



201. Sowing. — "\Miile broadcast sowing is not unusual, 

 the best and most common method consists in planting rice 

 ^^•ith a grain drill. This causes the seeds to be covered to 

 a more uniform depth than is possible by broadcast sowing. 

 The quantity of seed generall)' employed is one to two 

 bushels or one fourth to one half barrel per acre. Usually 

 the grain drill should be preceded, and not followed, by the 

 roller. 



Occasionally in so^^dng rice that is to be irrigated im- 

 mediately, South Carolina farmers mix the seed T^dth clay 

 and water, so that when water is admitted to the land, the 

 seed •nail not float. 



202. Implements and labor. — Only where preparation 

 has been made for draining the land, can labor-sa\dng 

 implements be used in preparing for and sowing the crop 

 and in harvesting. Plo\\'ing is usually done in spring, but 

 a preliminary plowng is often desirable in the early part of 

 the preceding fall. The depth of plowing must be governed 



