ORYZA SATIVA. 



being merely a general term for rice sown broad-cast and not transplanted. This leads 

 to another and much simpler method of classification, in which the varieties may be 

 grouped according to the method of their cultivation, as (1) those transplanted from 

 seed-beds, and (2) those sown broad-cast. As a general rule the finer varieties, falling 

 under the first two classes above named, are raised in seed-beds and planted out, while 

 the coarser kinds are sown in the field broad-cast. It may be mentioned that a kind of 

 rice {^Hygrorldza aristata, Nees) is commonly found growing wild round the edges of lakes 

 and marshes, being known as passari, passai or phasahi, and a sub-variety as iinni 

 (Partabgarh). The grain is eaten by the poorer classes, being often collected by sweep- 

 ing the plant heads with a basket. 



The total area under rice in the whole of the N.-W. Provinces and Oudh amounts 

 to some 49 lakhs of acres, only 27 lakhs of which are in the 30 temporarily settled N.-W. 

 Provinces Districts, being 11 per cent, on their total cropped area, and 21 per cent, on the 

 area under kharif crops. Its cultivation is perhaps more markedly localized than that of 

 any crop except cotton and sugar, and it varies between of the kharif crop area in 

 Gorakhpur to only sayoo Muttra. The percentage of the rice area to the total 

 cropped area in the 30 temporarily settled Districts of the N.-W. Provinces is shown by 

 Divisions below : — 





Meerut 

 Division. 



Rohilkhand 

 Division. 



Agra 

 Division. 



Allahabad 

 Division, 

 excluding 

 Jaunpur 

 District. 



Benares Divi- 

 sion, including 

 Azam garh, 

 Gorakhpur 

 and Basti Dis- 

 tricts only. 



Jhansi 

 Division. 



Kumann 

 Division, 

 including 

 Tarai 

 District 

 only. 



Percentage of rice 

 area to total 

 cropped area, ... 



4-1 



14-6 



1-9 



6-3 



31-4 



1-3 



49-1 



The cultivation reaches its maximum in the belt of Districts underlying the 

 Himalayas, and increases very largely as we go eastwards. This merely of course illus- 

 trates the fact that a plentiful supply of water is the first requisite for rice growing. 



There is greater latitude in the period for sowing and harvesting rice than in the 

 case of any other crop, it being sown in all months from January to July, and harvested 

 in all months from May to November. The rice, however, which is sown before the com- 

 mencement of the monsoon rains bears but a very small proportion to the total, and the 

 seasons in which the greater portion is grown are June to August for broad-casted, and 

 June to November for transplanted, rice. Taking first of all broad-casted rice, by far the 

 greater portion is sown on the break of the monsoon, and is ready for cutting in from 

 2 to 2| months, i.e., in bhddon (August) or kudr (September), and hence it is often known 

 as hhadoi or kudri. The rapidity of its growth is signified in the name of one of the 

 commonest varieties, which is called sathi, or 60-day, rice. But a certain amount of 

 broad-casted rice is sown two months before the monsoon rains can be expected, and in 

 this case there are two methods of cultivation. Either the rice germination is promoted 

 and its growth stimulated by frequent and copious irrigation until the rains break, or 

 taking advantage of a fall of rain in April and May, the ground is ploughed up and 

 sown, but the seed is allowed to lie unirrigated, and the young plants should not come 



