AGRICULTURE. 273 



AGRICULTURE. 



In the fouthern parts of China, bordering 

 upon the fea, rice, a fpecies of corn which 

 grows bed in low and wet ground, is the prin- 

 cipal food, and in almoft all the eaftern coun- 

 tries. There are fpecies of rice, which will 

 fucceed in a higher, dry ground, as we fee 

 here and there in Java, and on fimilar high 

 places. This fort of rice is made ufe of by 

 the provinces which are next to Cafjton, and 

 have a dry and hilly ground ; but in Shantung, 

 or in the fouthern low provinces, it would be 

 a lofs to fow it ; becaufe its grains are final I, 

 and it takes half as much time again in ripen- 

 ing as the other fpecies does : and, on the 

 other hand, the other fpecies has larger grains, 

 grows better and quicker, and can, without any 

 damage, ftand continually under water. Of 

 this fort there is a more coarfe variety, which 

 looks reddifh, and is eaten by the common 

 people, and likewife ufed to diftill the brandy 

 from, which they call famfu. 



I have been told that the further you go 



to the north, the more you find the culture of 



Vol. II. T rice 



