R. J. D. OR ATI AM 227 



The colour varies from pale yellowish white to a deep yellow. 

 Amongst the coloured rices a dark terra -cotta is the commonest, 

 but this may shade off into a light red or orange. The colour 

 is contained in the pericarp. The process of polishing rice 

 consists in the removal of the pericarp. This is rendered difficult 

 by ridges on the grain. 80 far as can be ascertained, no objection 

 is found to coloured rices, though, it is admitted that they 

 are more difficult to polish and consequently are more liable 

 to break in the process. There is no relation between the 

 colour of the spikelet and that of the grain. In ' ISlaku ' (Hoshanga- 

 bad) the spikelet is coloured, but the grain is terra cotta, while in 

 ' Bainssa ' (Raipur) the spikelet is almost black with a pale yellow 

 grain. 



Size.- — The size of the grain corresponds approximately with 

 the size of the spikelet and the grains may accordingly be allowed 

 to fall into the same classes in which the spikelets were placed with 

 the exception of those with the long spikelet. No grain with a 

 length greater than four times the breadth has been found in the 

 Central Provinces. The length of the grain of a long spikelet and 

 of a fine spikelet are greater than three times the breadth, of a coarse 

 spikelet greater than twice the breadth and of a round spikelet 

 less than tw4ce the breadth. < 



Here it may be mentioned that while rices are naturally bought 

 and sold on the character of the grain, a general preference is shown 

 for rices which have a narrow grain, but opinion differs with regard 

 to the length. In Jubbulpore a short narrow rice is esteemed, 

 while in Raipur and Chanda a fine, that is, a long narrow grain is 

 sought after. 



Shape. — In shape, also, the grain usually follows the spikelet, 

 though this is by no means invariable. Class I has a grain in which 

 both sides are shghtly convex and the shape is ellipsoid. Class II 

 has a grain in which both sides are convex and the shape is broadly 

 oval. Class III has a grain which is nearly round. In class IV 

 the side of the grain next the glume is only slightly convex, while 

 that next the palea is convex. In class V the two sides are nearly 



