TUBEROUS ROOTS, AND GRAIN. 349 



this is the plant which affords the greatest quantity of 

 wholesome nourishment, and is, perhaps susceptible of the 

 greatest variety in the mode of cooking ; for being itself 

 insipid, it admits of all kinds of seasoning. 



Emily. How much, then, it is to be lamented that its 

 cultivation should be unwholesome ! 



Mrs. B. It is so only at that period when the water is 

 drawn off to enable the grain to ripen. It is sown in the 

 spring in a muddy soil ; arid as the plant grows, the wa- 

 ter is let on, and gradually raised so as to keep it almost 

 wholly covered, until the grain begins to ripen. I have 

 been informed that in the rice plantations of Lorabardy, 

 the mortality is not greater than in the adjacent districts : 

 it is true that the inhabitants of the latter are in a wretch- 

 ed state of poverty, whilst the cultivators of rice are at 

 least supplied with plentiful nourishment, to compensate 

 for the unwholesomeness of their occupation. I should 

 not wish to extend the culture of rice in Europe, in soils 

 adapted to other produce, but, as this plant will grow on- 

 ly in marshy districts, it is as well to convert such land to 

 so useful a purpose ; for it is not more unhealthy as rice 

 fields, than as marshes. One great objection to the cul- 

 tivation of rice is, that it injures the surrounding soil by 

 the filtration of the waters, which, in the course of time, 

 destroys all the trees in the neighborhood. 



Caroline. But such a nitration must be very advanta- 

 geous to meadow land? 



Mrs. B. When confined within due limits ; but we 

 must remember the old adage, ' Too much of a good thing 

 is good for nothing : } the adjoining meadows would event- 

 ually become converted into marshes, so that there would 

 be no other resource than to extend the cultivation of 

 rice ; and the evil would thus always go on increasing, 

 if government did not interfere to prevent it. 



The third series of corn, having the pistils and stamens 

 in different flowers, consists of maize or Indian corn, 

 Canada rice, Sorghum, or millet. 



1894. What is the fourth and what is said of it? 1895. Where 

 and whea is rice sown? 1896. Relating to the rice plantations of 

 Lombardy what is said? 1897. What is the great objection to the 

 cultivation of rice? 1898. Caroline supposes this filtration would be 

 advantageous to the meadow land what is the reply? 1899. What 

 is said of the third species of corn? 



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