THE PHILIPPINE 
Journal of Science 
C. Botany 
Vol. X NOVEMBER, 1915 No. 6 
STUDIES IN RICE 1 
By John C. Rundles 
( From the College of Agriculture, Los Banos, P. I.) 
FIVE PLATES 
RICE SEED SELECTION 
Seed selection and improvement of rice receives very little 
attention in the Philippine Islands. In general, the importance 
of selection is not recognized, and seed is usually not cleaned 
and well graded. In sowing there is frequently a mixture of 
two or more varieties differing decidedly in texture, quality, 
and yield. In short, the seed usually possesses no recommenda- 
tion or qualification other than availability. 
It is not uncommon for the farmer to sell most of his product 
at a low price and to replace it at planting time at an exceedingly 
high cost. This practice often forces him to go without seed 
at planting time or to mortgage his future crop, thus sacrificing 
all profit. Crop improvement cannot follow along these haphaz- 
ard lines. A system of farming in which there is not a careful 
selection and retention of selected strains is doomed to medi- 
ocrity or failure. The best agricultural practice, based upon 
scientific investigation, now demands careful seed selection. 
HOW TO SELECT SEED 
The Bureau of Agriculture has demonstrated 2 the fact that a 
high degree of productivity ; uniformity in texture, quality, color 
of hull or cuticle ; or uniformity in the general characters of the 
1 1 wish to thank Mr. H. 0. Jacobson, of the Bureau of Agriculture, for 
valuable assistance in the writing of this article. He not only carefully 
criticized the article, but he placed at my disposal the experimental data of 
the Bureau of Agriculture and furnished some of the photographs. Credit 
is also due to Prof. C. F. Baker, of the College of Agriculture, for helpful 
suggestions. 
2 Jacobson, H. 0., Phil. Agr. Rev. 7 (1914) 346-351. 
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