193 



" Having some ground attached to his garden at East 

 Bay, Charleston, he was persuaded that both soil and 

 climate were well adapted for the cultivation of rice. 

 Communication between Charleston and Madagascar 

 being then very difficult, the opportunities of procuring 

 the seed were very rare ; however, just about that time, a 

 vessel from Madagascar, being in distress, came to anchor 

 near Sullivan's Island, and the master, having known 

 Mr. Smith while at Madagascar, inquired after him. In 

 the course of an interview which took place afterwards, 

 the Governor expressed the wish to procure some seed-rice 

 to plant in his garden. The ship's cook had fortunately a 

 small bag of rice fit for the purpose on board, and this was 

 presented to Mr. Smith, who sowed it in a small spot in 

 Longitude lane." 



From this small beginning did one of the great 

 staple commodities of South Carolina take its rise, 

 and soon became the chief support of the colony 

 and 'its great source of opulence, the total rice- 

 crop in 1850 having amounted to nearly 100,000 

 tons. 



It is cultivated in South Carolina in the follow- 

 ing manner: Low-lying or marshy land is 

 selected, and the soil thrown up by a hoe in 

 furrows or trenches twelve inches apart and 

 eight to twelve inches deep. The paddy, or 

 rice in husk, is sown at the bottom of these 

 trenches, a little water being kept in them to assist 

 germination. When the plants are a few inches high, 

 the water is allowed to run off, the weeds are 

 eliminated, and the rice-plants thinned where they 



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