414 QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. {1 Ocr., 1901. 
Tropical Industries. 
THE RICE INDUSTRY, AND ITS SUITABILITY FOR THE 
QUEENSLAND SOIL AND CLIMATE. 
By FRED. WM. PEEK, Loganholme. 
Since writing the article on the “Rice Industry of the Logan,” which appeared 
in the August number of this Journal, I am pleased to state I have received a 
large number of letters expressing appreciation of the article, also asking for 
further information; and I consequently avail myself of your Journal to give 
further information to several inquirers as to what districts would be most 
suitable for the suceessful cultivation of rice in Queensland. 
I have already stated that climate is an important factor in the success of 
the industry, but the geographical and physical features must also be taken 
into consideration. As a crop, rice can be grown anywhere between the 40th 
parallel of north latitude and the 30th of south; or, in other words, where the 
climatic conditions allow of the palmtree thriving under natural conditions, 
the climate will be found to be also suitable for rice culture, always 
providing there is sufficient rainfall at the right season, or sufficient 
moisture can be obtained by means of flooding or irrigation. 1t is well known 
that, but for the annual flooding of the delta of the Nile in Egypt, the rice 
crop of that country would fail, and serious loss and famine would be the 
result. Fortunately for Queensland, we do not depend on floods, as the coastal 
districts of this State receive a rainfall sufficient to mature the crop which, 
according to the variety of seed planted, requires from 25 to 30 inches of rain- 
fall spread over the growing season. Crops of rice have been grown during 
the past season in various portions of this State, and with fair success, at 
Cairns, Mackay, Tiaro, Logan, Pimpama Island, and Nerang, or from one end 
of the State to the other, the crops averaging from 32 bushels to 65 bushels 
per acre, according to variety and quality of seed and soil. 
' Asample of Japan rice, grown at Mackay, gave a crop of 10 tons of 
paddy from 10 acres planted, or a little over 37 bushels per acre. This, 
according to a Mackay paper, was sold on the wharf at £7 per ton, for ship- 
ment. It is to be regretted that the crop could not have been milled and 
dressed in the district, as it would have brought better returns to the grower, 
and could have gone into local consumption. There are hundreds of acres of 
land eminently suitable for the growth of rice lying fallow at the present time, 
particularly in the Nerang, Coomera, and Maroochie districts of Southern 
Queensland, which, with proper care and cultivation, would return splendid — 
results for the labour bestowed. There is also a very large area in the districts 
mentioned most suitable for irrigation, which, owing to its natural features, 
could be both easily and cheaply carried out. 
T shall be pleased to give all available information to those desirous of 
starting a rice plantation, or of adding a rice field to their farming operations. 
Of this I am convinced—viz., that there is in this State, on almost every farm 
on the coast, a piece of swampy land, varying from half an acre in extent to 10 
or 20 acres, that could be anne a means of income to the holder, by putting it. 
under rice. Were the value of rice and the facilities for growing it only gene- 
rally known, the areas of unsightly and wretched-looking swamps on our farm 
holdings would be transformed into waving fields of splendid grain, which. 
would be the envy of the visitor from the rich wheatfields of the Darling 
Downs for their productiveness, and especially for the financial returns to the 
lucky farmer who takes up rice culture as a part of his work. 
