7568. RICE, Italian.—
I wished particularly
to know whether it was the use of a
different machine for cleaning, which brought
European rice to market less broken than ours,
as had been represented to me by those who
deal in that article in Paris. I found several
persons who had passed through the rice country
of Italy, but not one who could explain
to me the nature of the machine. But I was
given to believe that I might see it myself immediately
on entering Piedmont. I determined
to go and ascertain this point, as the chance
only of placing our rice above all rivalship in
quality, as it is in color, by the introduction of
a better machine, if a better existed * * *. I
found the rice country to be in truth Lombardy,
* * * and that though called Piedmont rice, not
a grain is made in the country of Piedmont. I
passed through the rice fields of the Venellese
and Milanese, about sixty miles, * * * and
found that the machine is absolutely the same
as ours. * * * It is a difference in the species
of grain, of which the government of Turin is
so sensible, that, as I was informed, they prohibit
the exportation of rough rice on pain of
death. I have taken measures, however, which
I think will not fail for obtaining a quantity of
it, and I bought on the spot a small parcel.
* * * I propose * * * to send the rice to the
society at Charleston for promoting agriculture,
supposing that they will be best able to try the
experiment of cultivating the rice of this quality,
and to communicate the species to South
Carolina and Georgia, if they find it answer.—
To John Jay. Washington ed. ii, 138.
Ford ed., iv, 377.
(March. 1787)
