x, C6 Rundles: Studies in Rice 357 
erence should always be given, other conditions being equal, 
to varieties of ordinary-sized plants having stiff straw and 
standing well. 
H. O. Jacobson describes the ideal rice plant as follows: 
An upright plant consisting of many stems bearing heads not less than 
6 in number—more is preferable; the heads borne at a height of from 
1 to 14 meters from the ground, but all at a uniform height. The heads 
of medium size for the variety with the prevailing size of kernel; the 
bearing stems should be stiff and strong; the leaves of good size; there 
should be no disease on the plant; grains should stick tightly to the head 
so as not to shatter easily and the hulls thin and of light color. 
According to a report of the Bureau of Agriculture the size 
of grain does not affect the yield. When the number of seeds 
per panicle is excessive, then the size is correspondingly small. 
Accepting this report as true, small-seeded varieties are undesir- 
able for the following reasons: The seed is more difficult to sow 
properly when broadcasting is the method of distribution; it 
is more frequently attacked by birds; it requires greater care 
in milling; and the loss due to milling is greater than that for 
the average-sized grain. 
CHARACTERS OF PALAY 
Awned or awnless.—The following arguments are given for 
and against the awned and the awnless varieties : 
While the awned varieties are more difficult to harvest, the 
grains do not shatter readily in the field and they are less subject 
to attack by birds. However, the awn or beard is disagreeable 
when handling the crop and is injurious to the feet of animals 
in threshing. 
Among the Visayans the awnless variety is used almost exclu- 
sively, while among the Ilocanos the awned varieties are pre- 
ferred. As long as yield or quality is not sacrificed, the grower 
should use his own judgment in deciding which kind to raise. 
In the general markets palay, or rough rice, with light-colored 
hull, commands the best prices. No doubt this is due to the 
fact that a dark hull frequently indicates a colored cuticle o7 
undesirable quality. 
The percentage of hull by weight for the 200 varieties of rice 
examined at the College of Agriculture varied from 14 to 40 
per cent. A thin hull is most desirable and should receive con- 
sideration when the value of a rice is being determined. Thin- 
hulled palay is not only heavier per given volume, but yields a 
larger amount of edible product than thick-hulled. 
