Wheat, Oats, Rice, Barley and Rye 317 



appetizing food and its use in American homes is rapidly 

 increasing, especially as a base in preparing side dishes. 

 It was the most important grain in China 3,000 B.C., 

 but was not known to the ancient Egyptians. It was 

 introduced into Italy in the Fifteenth century and into 

 the Virginia Colony in 1647, and was first grown in the 

 United States in a garden in Charleston, S. C. in 1694. 



460. Most of the American rice is grown in South 

 Carolina, and in the Gulf prairie regions of Texas and 

 Louisiana. It is successfully grown in inland locations 

 in South Carolina, California, Arkansas, and as far north 

 as Southern Illinois. Rice is usually and most successful- 

 ly cultivated under irrigation. Water is necessary not 

 only for the best development of the crop, but to keep 

 down weeds. In oriental countries rice is germinated in 

 beds, and the seedlings transplanted by hand, but in 

 America the ground is prepared, seeded, and harvested 

 by the same machinery used in handling other cereals. 

 The fields are usually kept covered with water from the 

 time plants are a few inches high until near the harvest 

 period. 



461. Barley and Rye are largely grown in Europe and 

 in a few sections of the United States. While barley is 

 largely used in the manufacture of beer, hardy varieties 

 are often grown for winter pasture, and to produce grain 

 for feeding. In some sections, barley is mown when "in 

 the boot" for hay. Rye has similar uses. Because of 

 their hardiness and vigor, they are both much grown to 

 furnish winter pasture and cover crops, the production of 

 grain being a secondary consideration. 



