BUCKWHEAT, RICE, FLAX, ETC. 85 



movement of water across the rice field, and for this reason it is not advis- 

 able to have the fields too large. Irrigation necessitates the land being 

 practically level and surrounded by dikes. 



There should be good facilities for draining, since land must be in 

 good condition when prepared for seeding and should be fairly dry at the 

 time of harvesting. 



Harvesting and Threshing. — It requires from four to six months to 

 mature a crop of rice and the date of harvesting in the United States 

 varies from August to October, depending on time of seeding, character of 

 season and variety of rice. The crop should be harvested when the grain 

 is in the stiff dough stage and the straw somewhat green. The ordinary 

 grain binder is used for harvesting the crop, and the methods of shocking, 

 stacking and threshing are very similar to those used in wheat production. 



Yields and Value. — Rough rice weighs 45 pounds to the bushel. It 

 is generally put into barrels of 162 pounds each, and the yield is spoken of 

 in barrels, and ranges from 8 to 30 barrels per acre ; 12 barrels is considered 

 a good yield. The hulls or chaff constitute 12 to 25 per cent of the weight 

 of the rice, depending on variety and condition. In 1910 the total crop in 

 the United States was valued at $16,000,000, or about $20 per acre. The 

 rice is prepared in mills which remove the husk and cuticle and polish the 

 surface of the grain. In this condition it is placed upon the market. 



FLAX 



Flax is grown in Canada and in a few of the Northern states. Nearly 

 nine-tenths of the flax of the United States is grown in North and South 

 Dakota and in Minnesota. 



Soil and Climate Adaptation. — Flax grows best in a cool climate and 

 on soils that are not too heavy. Sandy loams are better adapted to the 

 crop than clay loams or heavy clays. It is extensively grown on virgin 

 prairie soil, and is well adapted for seeding on the rather tough prairie sod 

 when plowed for the first time. The roots of flax develop extensively near 

 the surface of the soil. It is often considered an exhaustive crop, but the 

 actual removal of plant-food constitutents is less than in most other farm 

 crops Its shallow, sparse root system and the small amount of stubble 

 usually left in the field probably explain why it is considered exhaustive. 



Preparation of Land and Seeding. — Where grown on virgin prairie land, 

 the sod should be broken about four inches deep and completely inverted 

 in order to make a smooth surface for seeding the flax. On newly plowed 

 land flax is seeded broadcast at the rate of one-half bushel per acre, and 

 covered by harrowing. It is thought better to fall-break sod, and to provide 

 a better prepared seed-bed the following spring by thorough disking and 

 harrowing. In this process the sod should not be loosened from its place, 

 and the roller is frequently used to compact the seed-bed and keep it smooth 

 and also level to facilitate the covering of the seed at a uniform depth. 



Where flax is grown on old land it follows corn to good advantage, and 



