83 



danger of scalding the rice when very young. At 8 inches higli a suffi- 

 cient depth of water can be allowed on the field to prevent scalding. 

 The depth of water that should be maintained from the first flooding 

 until it is withdrawn for the harvest depends upon other conditions. If 

 the growing crop thoroughly shades the land, just w iter enough to keep 

 the soil saturated will answer. To be safe, hoTvever, for all portions of 

 the field, it should stand 3 to 6 inches deep, and, to avoid stagnation, it 

 should be renewed by a continuous inflow and outflow. In case the 

 stand of rice is thin the water should be deeper. A flow of water 

 through the field aids in keeping the body of the water cool and in pre- 

 venting the growth of injurious plants that thrive in the stagnant 

 water. The water shoi.ld stand at uniform depth all over the field. 

 Unequal depths of water will cause the crop to ripen at different 

 times. 



Uniform ripening. — The planter should particularly note the im- 

 portance of not making the fields too large. It impedes complete 

 drainaoe. It is inconvenient to have large ditches intersecting the 

 fields. The simultaneous maturity of all portions of the field is desir- 

 able if it is to be cut with a twine binder. This can be secured by uni- 

 form and good drainage, by ploughing, harrowing, planting, and rolling 

 the same day, and by planting the seed equally deep and evenly distrib- 

 uted. The flooding water must stand in all portions of the field at 

 equal depth and temperature. Emphasis is placed upon having the 

 harrow closely follow the plough, to be immediately succeeded by plant- 

 ing and rolling. This is necessary to conserve the moisture, unless 

 there are frequent showers during the planting season. No field should 

 be so large that the work of planting can not be completed within three 

 or four days. 



TiTne to withdraw the water and to cut the grain. — As soon as the 

 grain is in the dough the water should be withdrawn. Sufficient mois- 

 ture will remain in the soil to mature the crop. Experiments with 

 wheat have demonstrated that there is a considerable gain in commer- 

 cial value by cutting nearly two weeks before the grain is dead ripe ; 

 i.e., when the straw is yellow and the kernel still in the stiff dough 

 state. The Japanese apply the same principle in cutting rice ; it is cut 

 when the straw has barely commenced to yellow. If cutting is delayed 

 till the straw shows yellow to the top the grain is reduced in quality 

 and quantity and the straw is less valuable. There is also a consider- 

 able increase in the loss by shelling in handling in the field. 



HARVESTING. 



When rice is ready for the harvest, cutting should proceed rapidly. 

 If a field requires more than four days to complete the catting it is too 

 large, and should be divided. The length of straw to be cut is a mat- 

 ter of option with each planter, but if cut in the stiff-dough state of the 

 kernel sufficient straw must remain with the head to enable the grains 

 to mature. On an average 2^ feet of straw will be found practical. 

 The smaller the bundle the better for curing. In case the field is wet 

 the bundles should be taken from the reaper direct to high land and 

 there shocked. While care should be exercised in all the various proc- 

 esses of rice production, it is most necessary in shocking, which is 



