Rice Production in Southwestern Louisiana 
15 
DEPTH OF SEEDING 
The depth to which rice seed is sown has an effect upon stand and 
yield. For the depth-of -seeding experiments the land was plowed 
in winter to a depth of 5 to 7 inches and the seed sown approximately 
May 1 on a smooth seed bed by a drill at varying depths at the rate 
of 80 pounds per acre. The data in Table 12 show that for the entire 
8-year period the largest average yields of rice were obtained from 
sowing at the depth of 1 inch. The yields, however, vary with 
the season, since the weather both before and after seeding has an 
important effect upon the condition of the seed bed. 
Table 12. — Annual and average yields of rice 1 obtained in the depth-of -seeding 
experiments at the Rice Experiment Station, Crowley, La., during the 8-year 
period from 1913 to 1920, inclusive 
Yields per acre (pounds) 
Depth 
of 
Annual 
Average for years stated 
(dates inclusive) 
seeding 
1913 
1914 
1915 
1916 1917 
1918 
1919 
1920 
4 years, 
1913 to 
1916 
4 years, 
1917 to 
1920 
8 years, 
1913 to 
1920 
1 inch 
2 inches 
3 inches 
2,640 
2,610 
1,860 
1,650 
1,530 
1,750 
1,900 
2,000 
2,000 
1,200 
1,070 
1,000 
1,700 
1, 780 
1,930 
2,980 
2,760 
2,200 
1,890 
1,680 
1,240 
2,510 
2,600 
2,150 
1,848 
1,803 
1,653 
2,270 
2,205 
* 1,880 
2,059 
2,004 
1,766 
1 During the 4-year period from 1913 to 1916, inclusive, the Honduras variety was used in these experi- 
ments, and during the 4-year period from 1917 to 1920, inclusive, the Wataribune variety was used. 
A seed bed in a good physical condition usually retains enough 
moisture and heat during the first two weeks of May for good 
germination when rice seed is sown at a depth of 1 or 2 inches. On 
such a seed bed any compacting of the soil that may result from 
heavy rains occurring shortly after seeding is not likely to retard 
seriously the emergence of the young plants if the seed is not sown 
to a depth greater than 1 inch. The soil crust that may be formed 
will readily crack under the drying effect of the sun and wind and 
is not likely to interfere with the normal growth of the young plants. 
Deeper seeding, however, increases the danger of delayed germina- 
tion. Any condition that affects uniform emergence has a corre- 
spondingly bad effect upon the stand. 
The depth of seeding should always be shallow in a dry soil. This 
will prevent germination without rain or until irrigation water can 
be applied, and it insures a good stand if the seed bed is properly 
prepared and good seed is used. 
FERTILITY EXPERIMENTS 
When commercial rice growing first began in southwestern Louisi- 
ana in 1885 the virgin sod land, richly supplied with plant food, pro- 
duced large yields of rice. These yields and the low price of land 
attracted the attention of many grain farmers from the upper 
Mississippi Valley who were seeking southern land. These men 
applied so far as possible their methods of wheat culture to the 
growing of rice, and even without experience in rice culture they 
produced crops at a comparatively low cost. The yields obtained, 
the comparatively low cost of production, and the ready market for 
rice products attracted the attention of capitalists, who freely in- 
