

RICE. 



deficiency in the corn," and that the only difficulty is in crystallizing 

 the sugar. Experiments evidently " show the superiority of the corn 

 stalk over the cane for making sugar." It has been shown that the 

 juice of the corn stalk is two tenths stronger than the juice of the sugar 

 cane. From many experiments made at the west, it has been estimat- 

 ed that from 600 to 1,000 pounds of sugar may be obtained from the 

 acre, and that three quarts of juice will yield saccharine matter equal 

 to one pound of sugar, or 8 or 9 gallons will make 10 of thick molas- 

 ses. These trials are to be repeated with the assurance that in a 

 few years the corn sugar will become an article of export and of great 

 value to the west." Sugar has been made of the water in which the 

 ears of corn have been boiled; and it is consequently inferred that the 

 cobb also contains much saccharine matter. Large stalks yield most 

 juice in proportion to their size ; and the corn, it is said, should therefore 

 be grown in drills : the leaves are stripped off before the stalks are 

 cut. Experiments have been made at the south with prospects not 

 less flattering than the above. Having sugar mills and every conve- 

 nience, it is thought that the corn stalk will there be preferred to the 

 cane. A saturated solution of the cane juice contains 5 parts of su- 

 gar and 3 of water. An acre yields at most but 700 gals, of cane 

 juice, of which 122 Ibs. of sugar are made, showing an equal, if not 

 superior average quantity fro-m the corn stalk. The juice fermented 

 and distilled yields an excellent spirit. The Mexicans, Cortez says, 

 made honey from the stalks of maize as sweet as sugar cane," and 

 also "sugar; and this sugar they sell," they also prepared a ferment- 

 ed liquor from it. This they continue to make and also several beve- 

 rages resembling beer, cider, &c. which, in some places, are articles 

 of commerce. 



RICE Oryza, (Sativa,) C 6, 2, Graminae, sp.l,Ds. A. 



1-6 ft. This is an annual grain well known in this coun- 

 try. It was long cultivated in the East before it was in- 

 troduced into Egypt and Greece. It came to South Caro- 

 lina in 1697, a small bag of it having been sent as a pre- 

 sent from Mr. Dubois, Treasurer of the East India Com- 

 pany to a merchant in Charleston ; it is also said that 60 

 tons were exported to England in 1798. But the author 

 of a work published in 1701, says, a brigantine from 



fthe island of Madagascar put in at Carolina, having a 

 ^ little seed rice left, which the captain gave to a gentle- 



man by the name of Woodbury. From part of this he had a very good 

 crop, but was ignorant, for some years, how to clean it. It was soon 

 dispersed over the province, and, by frequent experiments and obser- 

 vations, they soon found cut ways of producing and manufacturing it 

 to so great a perfection that it is thought to exceed any other in value. 

 The writer of this hath seen the said captain in Carolina, where he re- 



