RICE CULTUREIN CALCASIEU PARISH - 1890'S Submitted by Margaret Rentrop Moore Source: Southwest Louisiana Biographical & Historical by William Henry Perrin; published 1891 page 138 - 140. ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ************************************************ RICE CULTURE. - It is reported by the last census that Louisiana raised 500,000 pounds of rice; South Carolina, 1000,000 pounds; Georgia, 50,000; North Carolina, 41,500; and Alabama, Florida, Mississippi and Texas, all told, 285,000. Thus it will be seen that Louisiana produces more rice than all the other States of the Union put together. This is doubtless true, or the census would not say so. It is a truthful body (unless it be in regard to the population of large cities), and its statistical facts may be regarded as substantially correct. Calcasieu is the banner parish of Louisiana in the cultivation of rice. Much of its lands are specially adapted to rice. The editor of the Jennings Reporter gives some figures on the acreage of rice planted in that part of the parish. He estimates that between Lake Arthur on the south to China post-office north of Jennings, and between the Mermentau River, the Nezpique and Grand Marias, there will be about nine thousand acres planted in rice, which, at ten barrels per acre, will give 90,000 barrels of rice, and of this amount he expects 60,000 barrels at least or about four hundred car loads to be shipped from Jennings. Two years ago only twenty-six car loads were shipped from Jennings; last year, one hundred car loads. All this rice, should Jennings not get a rice mill, would eventually find its way to Lake Charles and be shipped northward on the Kansas City, Watkins & Gulf Rail- way. This is only a small portion of the rice acreage of this parish, and every bushel raised in the parish should be hulled on mills here instead of being shipped to the New Orleans mills. Says the American on the same subject: There is, perhaps, no section of country better adapted to rice culture than the lands of Calcasieu. Rice culture is now attracting more attention than any other field crop. The cultiva- tion is simple, consisting principally of planting and flooding, and the profits are large. Had we the space, we could give numerous instances of persons making profits. Mr. R. Hall, of Cherokee, Iowa, purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land for $800 Paid out for improvements about $450. Total cost of land and improvements, $1250. He rented the land for one-third, which was planted in rice, and realized for his third of the rice $1500 J. W. Rosteet reports on twenty-one acres of land planted in rice. He givesthe expense of ditching, levees, fencing, planting and harvesting at $457.68. He sold his rice for $860, leaving a balance of $462-32. We give these two instances, not that they are exceptions, for there are instances where much greater profits have been made, but because Mr. Rosteet is a native of this parish, and Mr. Hall a resident of Cherokee, Iowa, and a gentleman well known in many States in the North. The American has from its beginning told of the possibilities of Calcasieu parish as a rice growing country, and of the great profits to the farmer to be derived therefrom. It has furthermore shown that there is great wealth in sugar, fruits and many other products of the farm. It is now beginning to realize the fulfilment of its dreams. For years it was the universal opinion that rice could not he harvested 'by machinery; four years ago a rice machine was brought to the parish and tried with success. It is only three years since William Deering Co. started to improve their harvesters to adapt them to the rice farmer's use. At that time Mr. E. S. Center advised his firm to enter this field, but they said to him, "You might as well send cotton presses to Manitoba as harvesters to Louisiana." Not discouraged, however, he persevered until he was successful, and now he says he can cut rice in eighteen inches of mud, and to back up his guarantee he has shipped into Southwest Louisiana a train load of the William Deering harvesters; a train load of twenty-two cars containing three hundred machines. This is a grand demonstration of the development of Southwest Louisiana during the past three years. The train left Chicago on the 8th inst., and was beautifully decorated with flags and flowers, and it is said to be the most beautiful freight train that ever entered the Southern States. At every station along the route it was met by large crowds, who hailed it with cheers and speeches of welcome. Among these crowds J."', the representative of The American looked for the old croaker, who always said, "You can't make a living on a farm in this country," "but where, oh where was he?" "gone where the woodbine twineth," or dead with throat disease from overmuch croaking. When the train arrived at Lake Charles, over a thousand people were at the depot to welcome the representatives of the Deering Company and the representatives of the press. Prof. Knapp, of Lake Charles, and Mr. Cary, of Jennings, made short addresses to the people on behalf of the Deering Company, which was followed by three rousing cheers for the company. Mr. H. C. Drew read an invitation from the citizens of Lake Charles to the representatives of the company and the press inviting them to a banquet to be given at the Hotel Howard in honor of the occasion. Since this train left Chicago, another consignment of the machines has been shipped and is on its way to Southwest Louisiana, and the agents are now receiving orders every day. This, we will add, is the work of only one company. The Osborne Company is also in the field, and while we do not know the amount of their sales they have no doubt been large. So that not less than five or six hundred machines will be sold this year. The estimated crop of Calcasieu parsh is 600,000 barrels, and if the increase next year should be as circumstances now indicate she will ship one million and a half barrels next year.