R. J. D. GRAHAM 219 



of heavy manuring and irrigation. Its survival is probably due to 

 the isolated position of Sironcha and it will probably disappear as 

 soon as the country is opened up. The rice can be grown in the rains, 

 when it behaves like an early rice, and hence it may be placed with 

 these. 



Resistance to drought and flooding. — Rices fall into three main 

 groups in regard to their water requirements, viz., drought resistant, 

 normal and flood resistant rices. The most highly drought resisting 

 rices can exist for from 20 days to one month without water. In the 

 North of the Province these are found amongst the early rices, else- 

 where amongst the late rices. Flood resistant rices are found mainlv 

 amongst late rices. The longest period that a rice can withstand 

 flooding is for about 15 days. If a suggestion may be made in ex- 

 planation of the curious phenomenon that amongst the late rices 

 both drought resistant and flood resistant varieties occur, may it not 

 be that the danger of flooding to which the late rices, growing in the 

 lowest fields, are exposed in their early stages, and the late date of 

 maturing, occurring long after the seasonal rainfall has ceased, have 

 evolved a type which may be both flood and drought resistant. 



Height. — The average height of a rice plant is between two 

 and half and three and a half feet. There are, however, amongst the 

 early rices a large number which attain a height of only 18 inches 

 to two feet. These may be classed as short rices. Only one example, 

 Pongha, of the tall rices mentioned by Watt(9) has been found in 

 the Central Provinces. It occurs in tanks in Chhattisgarh, Balaghat 

 and Nagpur. The height varies with the depth of water, but speci- 

 mens over 6 feet long are not uncommon. It is not proposed to 

 make use of the height of the plant as a main point for classification. 

 The tall rice is interesting as a systematic variety. It along with the 

 short rices, falls into a group of systematic varieties which may be 

 termed ' special rices.' As pointed out by Kikkawa(lO) the shorter 

 rices are less liable to lodge, but any advantage gained .from this 

 is more than counterbalanced by the fact that, so far as the 

 Central Provinces are concerned, the short habit is associated with 

 poor tillering and a small panicle. 



