7564. RICE, Chinese.—
In Asia they have
several distinct species of this grain. Monsieur
Poivre, a former governor of the Isle of France,
in travelling through several countries of Asia,
observed with particular attention the objects
of their agriculture, and tells us that in Cochin-China
they cultivate six several kinds of rice,
which he describes, three of them requiring
water, and three growing on highlands. The
rice of Carolina is said to come from Madagascar,
and De Poivre tells us, it is the white rice
which is cultivated there. This favors the
probability of its being of a different species
originally, from that of Piedmont; and time,
culture, and climate may have made it still more
different. Under this idea I thought it would
be well to furnish you with some of the Piedmont
rice, unhusked, but was told it was contrary
to the laws to export it in that form. I
took such measures as I could, however, to have
a quantity brought out, and lest these should
fail, I brought myself a few pounds. A part
of this I have addressed to you by way of London;
a part comes with this letter; and I shall
send another parcel by some other conveyance
to prevent the danger of miscarriage. Any one
of them arriving safe may serve to put in seed,
should the society think it an object.—
To William Drayton. Washington ed. ii, 196.
(P.
1787)
