GUINEA COEN. 



IS 



form of fruit which is called a cari/opsis : its characters are 

 that the pericarp or seed-covering appears to cover the seed 

 so closely as to form a portion of it : thus the seed-vessel of 

 the wheat is the brown covering which constitutes the bran, 

 and cannot be removed without breaking the enclosed white 

 seed; in the rice how^ever the pericarp is not so closely 

 adherent, and can be removed by slight pressure, which 

 causes it to split and come off without injuring the enclosed 

 seed. It often comes to us in the husk, and is then called 

 paddy, an Indian name. In this country immense quan- 

 tities are consumed, but rather as a luxury, in the form of 

 puddings and confectionery, than as a principal article of 

 food. In India a species of arrack, or strong spirit, is dis- 

 tilled from paddy. The straw has lately been much used 

 in plaiting for ladies^ bonnets. The beautiful Chinese ma- 

 nufacture called rice-paper is erroneously supposed to be 

 manufactured from this grain : its proper history will appear 

 in another chapter. 



The quantity of rice imported into Great Britain in 

 1851, according to Poolers Statistics, was 41,121 tons; but 

 of this enormous quantity a large proportion is again ex- 

 ported to our North American colonies and to the countries 

 of Northern Europe. 



