218 



CLASSIFICATIOM OF RICE 



tween sowing and the appearance of the ears in the three classes is 

 87, 90 and 91 respectively. It is evident, therefore, that the earliness 

 and lateness of a rice depends not so much upon the vegetative 

 period of growth as upon the reproductive period during which the 

 fruit matures and ripens. Though the rices fall broadly into these 

 three classes, there appears to be a considerable latitude, even in one 

 district, in placing any given rice in its class. The difference is 

 still greater, when rices of the same class from different districts 

 are considered. Thus early rices from Jubbulpore matured on the 

 average in 113 days, the range being from 109 to 132 days ; medium 

 rices in 120 days, the range being from 1 17 to 129 days, and late rices 

 in 128 days, the range being from 119 to 155 days. The early rices 

 from Raipur matured on the average in 124 days, the range being 

 from 105 to 145 days ; the medium rices in 127 days, the range being 

 from 112 to 141 days ; and the late rices in 138 days, the range being 

 from 123 to 155 days. Comparing these figures : — 



We find that the Jubbulpore rices are distinctly earlier in matur- 

 ing than rices of the same class from Raipur. This is probably due(l) 

 to irrigation in Raipur being far ahead of Jubbulpore, (2) to the 

 practice of biasi in Raipur which delays the maturing of the plant. 



This difference is due to irrigation and methods of cultivation in 

 these districts, coupled with the wide range for the same class even 

 from one district, shew how unsatisfactory a classification must be, 

 based on the time of ripening of the rices. 



Cold weatJier Rice. — Geemsal, a rice from the Sironcha tahsil of 

 Chanda, is generally sown in January and harvested in March. 

 This is an interesting variety as it is the only cold weather rice report- 

 ed in the Central Provinces. The yield is said to be poor in spite 



