4 BULLETIN 323, IT. S. DEPARTMENT OP AGRICULTURE. 



of it is coated. It enters the United States primarily through the 

 ports of New York, Philadelphia, and Boston, from which points it 

 is widely distributed. 



DESCRIPTION OF RICE TYPES. 



In the numerous samples secured for these investigations many 

 types of rice were found. From the standpoint of total value the 

 Japan rice was of first importance and was separated into four sub- 

 divisions, depending upon its mill finish. Other types of importance 

 are the Chinese, Siam, Java, Bassein, and Patna, which get their 

 names from the country or province in which they are grown. The 

 color and luster of the rice of individual samples within each type 

 vary considerably, and in other particulars the quality is not uniform 

 in the types. The description of the rice types given in this bulletin, 

 therefore, includes only those characteristics common to all samples 

 of the type. 



Rice of the Japan type has short and more or less rounded 

 grains. Differences existing in the appearance and character of the 

 rice, caused by varying methods of mining and by climatic influences 

 upon the growing grain, make it necessary in commercial practice to 

 subdivide rice of this type into four general classes. These subdi- 

 visions are (1) " brown," or the rice with only the outer hulls or chaff 

 removed; (2) completely milled rice of a flinty texture and heavily 

 coated with talc, calcium carbonate, or some white siliceous material 

 resembling talc; and (3) completely milled rice of a bluish white color, 

 semitranslucent, and very heavily coated with glucose and talc or 

 some white siliceous mineral resembling talc. The rice of this third 

 subdivision often has a slightly kidney-shaped grain, and all samples 

 collected of it were grown in Italy. (4) Glutinous Japan rice, com- 

 pletely milled. The rice of the samples belonging to this fourth 

 subdivision which was handled in this investigation had a very soft 

 or chalky texture and was opaque. Its shape is the same as other 

 Japan rice described in the first and second subdivisions of this 

 group, but it is smaller in size. 



The Siam rice is generally of a flinty texture, and the grain is long 

 and slender, with a relatively small germ. 



The Chinese rice is of a white color, very flinty in texture, and 

 of about the same shape as the Siam rice, but very much smaller. 



The Java rice is of a white color and in shape is longer than the 

 Japan rice and less rounded. Its germ is relatively large, and the 

 grain is generally quite hard and flinty in texture. 



The Bassein rice is very similar to the Java in shape, but slightly 

 smaller in size, with a smaller germ and often a more chalky texture. 



The Patna rice, which is comparatively white in color, is generally 

 very flinty and heavily coated with glucose and talc. The kernels 



