7565. RICE, Chinese.—[continued].
The dry rice of Cochin-China
has the reputation of being the whitest to the eye, best flavored to the taste, and most
productive. It seems, then, to unite the good
qualities of both the others known to us. Could
it supplant them, it would be a great happiness,
as it would enable us to get rid of those ponds
of stagnant water, so fatal to human health
and life. But such is the force of habit, and
caprice of taste, that we could not be sure beforehand
it would produce this effect. The experiment,
however, is worth trying, should it
only end in producing a third quality, and increasing
the demand. I will endeavor to procure
some to be brought from Cochin-China.—
To William Drayton. Washington ed. ii, 197.
(P.
1787)
