CHAPTER XXXI 

 RICE (Oryza sativa) 



Rice is an annual grass belonging to the tribe Oryzese. 

 To this tribe also belong the two species ot wild rice, 

 Zizania aquatica and Zizania miliacea. ■ The former 

 grows somewhat extensively in certain iharshy regions of 

 northestern Asia, and under similar conditions in North 

 America, particularly in the region of the Great Lakes. 

 Its seed was once used extensively as a food by the Indians 

 but its tendency to shatter upon ripening has prevented 

 its general cultivation. The latter species occm-s commonly 

 in the bayous of Louisiana where it is sometimes used as 

 a hay plant. No use has been made of its seed. The 

 genus Oryza to which cultivated rice belongs also con- 

 tains a number of species of wild rice that are rather 

 generally distributed throughout the tropics of both hemi- 

 spheres. 



Rice is a plant of great antiquity, having been known 

 to the Chinese 2800 years B. C. and used by them in their 

 annual ceremony of sowing five kinds of seed. Rice was 

 introduced into Virginia in 1647. This introduction was 

 of little importance. In 1694 the Governor of South Caro- 

 lina received a small parcel of rough rice from the captain 

 of a trading vessel bound for Liverpool from Madagascar. 

 The vessel had been blown out of her course, and had put 

 into Charleston for repairs. This small parcel of seed 



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