RICE 631 



small field by pulling and removing the individual plants, 

 at the beginning of infestation. The seed shatters greatly, 

 and if care is not taken to remove these first plants, the 

 crop each year will become infested. Where there is 

 already a large percentage of red rice, the only recourse 

 is crop rotation, which should, however, be practiced any- 

 way, if possible. It has been demonstrated that, with 

 crop rotation and rigid seed selection, the red rice problem 

 is not nearly so difficult as is generally supposed. 



There are numerous varieties of red rice belonging in 

 different subspecies of Oryza, of which some are cultivated 

 in foreign countries. It is not a deteriorated rice, but 

 may be as good in food value as many cultivated rices. 

 Its color injures the appearance of milled rice, and it is 

 therefore rejected by the miller. 



710. Barnyard-grass or water-grass (Echinochloa crus- 

 galli, Beauv.). This is the worst weed of rice fields in 

 California, and gives considerable trouble also in Texas 

 and Louisiana. It is coarse, awned, erect or spreading, 

 and varies in height from 10 to 50 inches. It grows 

 luxuriantly in irrigated fields, and produces a large num- 

 ber of seeds. On one plant there may be as many as 

 40,000 seeds. Therefore not a single plant should be 

 allowed to mature seed in rice fields or near by. The 

 seed is carried in irrigation water, and occasionally from 

 field to field by winter floods. 



As soon as water-grass first appears in the field, it 

 should be removed by hand, before it produces seed. 

 The seed germinates at the same time as the rice, but two 

 weeks after coming up makes a more vigorous growth, and 

 is lighter green in color than the rice plants. If not re- 

 moved, it will mature seed before the rice crop is har- 

 vested. In removal, the plants are cut off below the 



