Rice Production in Southwestern Louisiana 5 
The average monthly precipitation of the months having the 
greatest rainfall at Crowley may be taken as representative of 
southwestern Louisiana, as the rainfall at this station differs but 
slightly from the precipitation at the other localities where records 
are kept. During the 14-year period from 1910 to 1923, inclusive, the 
average precipitation at Crowley, as shown in Table 2 and Figure 2, 
for January was 5.16 inches; June, 4.72 inches; July, 6.89 inches; 
August, 6.21 inches ; and December, 6.60 inches. The largest precipi- 
tation during the growing season occurs in July and August, when 
the crop requires its maximum irrigation. Although the precipi- 
tation over this prairie section is heavy, plowing and seeding are 
seldom delayed, nor is there serious loss of grain at harvest, as the 
months in which these field operations are usually done are com- 
paratively dry. 
Table 2. — Monthly, average monthly, annual, and average annual precipitation 
at the Rice Experiment Station, Crowley, La., for the 14-year period from 
1910 to 1923, inclusive 
[Data in inches] 
Year 
Jan. 
Feb. 
Mar. 
Apr. 
May 
June 
July 
Aug. 
Sept. 
Oct. 
Nov. 
Dec. 
An- 
nual 
1910 
1911 
1912 
1913 
4.04 
3.50 
6.99 
5.63 
.96 
6.62 
6.68 
4.05 
6.10 
6.36 
6.97 
2.79 
6.38 
5.19 
3.05 
1.21 
4.64 
2.78 
5.01 
7.33 
1.66 
3.52 
2.95 
6.39 
5.37 
2.25 
5.17 
4.88 
1.26 
2.53 
4.24 
2.60 
7.13 
2.43 
.34 
3.67 
3.44 
1.39 
1.62 
3.63 
6.31 
7.94 
1.59 
5.99 
4.50 
4.66 
5.59 
.28 
2.46 
2.53 
7.91 
4.90 
3.28 
4.49 1 
1.58 
5.40 
7.61 
1.55 
4.03 
4.01 
2.28 
4.51 
4.90 
1.38 
1.50 
8.02 
4.43 
1.77 
5.59 
7.93 
8.18 
4.81 
5.99 
3.47. 
2.48 
3.49 
1.93 
5.63 
4! 01 
4.52 
6.69 
3.86 
7.05 
9.76 
12.39 
6.68 
4.67 
7.28 
5.38 
7.70 
8.85 
4.74 
6.08 
10.56 
4.26 
4.62 
3.50 
3.60 
7.63 
5.59 
8.55 
3.48 
11.07 
9.82 
2.51 
6.01 
6.46 
9.10 
3.04 
6.29 
3.83 
3.83 
1.89 
1.63 
13.67 
1.78 
1.14 
2.69 
2.29 
3.75 
3.87 
3.66 
1.71 
7.28 
7.77 
1.90 
5.07 
1.55 
5.49 
3.09 
2.64 
1.81 
.69 
10.36 
11.39 
5.17 
2.93 
2.98 
2.69 
2.42 
3.76 
.79 
2.09 
6.92 
2.15 
.36 
1.09 
6.64 
4.88 
4.15 
3.73 
10.23 
6.37 
4.30 
11.87 
17.04 
3.74 
3.68 
5.44 
5.85 
1.53 
4.48 
1.26 
9.18 
5.40 
9.60 
8.97 
51.54 
62.20 
63.67 
61.36 
1914 
1915 : 
1916 
1917 
1918 
1919 
1920 
1921 
1922 
1923 . 
49.68 
52.48 
46.20 
37.74 
61.86 
65.01 
68.01 
42.69 
69.89 
71.52 
Average 
Maximum 
Minimum 
5.16 
6.99 
.96 
4.01 
7.33 
1.21 
3.47 
7.94 
.34 
3.94 
7.91 
.28 
4.25 
8.02 
1.38 
4.72 
8.18 
1.93 
6.89 
12.39 
3.50 
6.21 
11.07 
2.51 
4.07 
13.67 
1.14 
4.13 
11.39 
.69 
3.97 
10.23 
.36 
6.60 
17.04 
1.26 
57.42 
71.52 
37.74 
TEMPERATURE 
Temperature, as well as rainfall, is an important factor in limiting 
the area of rice culture. The largest areas of rice production are 
located in regions having a mean temperature of 75° F. during a 
growing season of five months. The annual mean temperature of 
southwestern Louisiana is 68° F. The proximity of the Gulf of 
Mexico and the numerous streams and lakes in this part of the State 
seem to affect the temperature conditions to such an extent that 
excessive heat in summer and extreme cold in winter seldom occur. 
The range of the annual mean temperature within 100 miles of the 
coast is only 1 degree. Temperature data for the Rice Experiment 
Station at Crowley are given in Table 3 and are shown graphically 
in Figure 3. 
