316 



BICE. 



Italy. — To the Moors has been attributed the introduction of rice 

 into Spain, and subsequently to Italy. From the Venetian provinces 

 it extended rapidly through the marshy tracts so common in that 

 region. The great swamps of Verona and Mantua, useless for other 

 species of culture, afforded a profitable field for rice ; in them it was 

 early established, and has always continued to be of great importance. 

 Its progress to the eastward was slow, and it was not until the middle of 

 the sixteenth century that the rice cultivation of the Milanese became 

 of sufficient extent to attract public attention to its sanitary relations. 

 Its development thus kept pace with the progress of that great system 

 of irrigation canals which had been perfected at this time. 



In Piedmont and Lombardy rice cultivation is divided into two 

 classes — permanent, locally termed risage da zajtpa, from the use of 

 the spade in its tillage ; and temporary, risage da vicenda, which forms 

 a part of the rotation of crops in the irrigated districts. The per- 

 manent rice cultivation is restricted exclusively to low marshy 

 localities unsuited for any other culture, and is of great value, being 

 the only crop which soils so wet are capable of affording when intro- 

 duced into the rotation. This extends over nine years, generally in 

 the following order : 1st year, wheat with grass seeds ; 2ud5 3rd, and 

 4th, meadows ; 5th, 6th, and 7th, rice ; 8th and 9th, Indian corn, or 

 other crops, varying from year to year. 



A clayey impervious soil, with a small proportion of sand near the 

 surface, is found to be the best for rice. As the plant passes its 

 existence in water, the details of the culture are directed to securing 

 this condition. The means employed are much the same in Italy as 

 in India. The surface of rice land is made as nearly as possible 

 horizontal, and where variations of level occur, a series of terraces is 

 formed, each of which is carefully levelled. Compartments are then 

 marked out, of which the dimensions are extremely variable, and each 

 is surrounded by earthen walls or banks about two feet high. Con- 

 nection is established between the compartments at high and low 

 levels, so that the water entering the first passes into the others, and 

 thus maintains a very gentle movement which keeps the supply always 

 fresh. When the divisions are duly formed, the rice-ground is 

 ploughed and carefully weeded in spring. 



If the soil be too wet for the use of the plough, as in marshy 

 localities, it is broken up by the spade, a tedious and unhealthy 

 process. After the ground has been thus prepared, water is admitted 

 for the purpose of verifying the levels, and of consolidating the 

 partition-walls of the different divisions. It is necessary to remove 

 all trees from the immediate vicinity, as shade is very hurtful to the 

 crop. 



The period of sowing extends from the beginning of March to the 

 beginning of May. The new rice-lands are sown first : those which 

 have been established for one or more years at a later period, as the 

 soil is benefited by exposure for some time to the heat of the sun. 

 Eice in the husk, locally termed risone, is employed as seed in the 

 proportion of from three to four bushels per acre, according to the 

 nature of the soil. It is sown by hand, and as the land is literally 

 in the state of mud, it is very laborious and unhealthy work for the 



