, 1872-08-22
Huille and farm.
Rice.

Like that of the other cereals, it ex-
tends beyond the reach of record. I'm
der the name of orez in Arabic. oruza
in Greek, oryza in Latin, riz in French,
reis in German, rice in English has
been known to history for two or three
thousand years, being mentioned by
Pheophratus 1900 years ago, and by
Horace, Pliny. and CELSIUS at later
date.
Its native place is probably the steam
ing river bottoms of India. whence il
travelled eastward and north ward to Chi
ma and Japan, and westward to Egypt
md to US. When it reached Egypt We
know not; early enough, as many
think, to give rise to that singular ex.
hortation of the royal preacher of Isra-
el, $500 years ago, in which, alludine
probably to the mode of sowing rice on
the swollen surface of the Nile, he says,
"Cast thy bread upon the (face of the)
waters: for thou shalt find it after many
days. "-Eccles. ii. l.
After being introduced into Italy from
Greece, as we learned by the form OF
name, and being domestieated for cen
turies in all the southern countries OF
Europe, it was carried, in the year OF
1905, to the then infant colony of Caro-
lima. where it was cultivated to such ex-
tent, and brought to so high a degree OF
perfection, that the southern seaboard
of the American colonies, now in the
United States, has been known in
Europe as Carolina rice.
As an article of food it surpasses in
importance every other cereal in pres
ent use. Wheat may be more nutri-
tious, rye more hardy, maize spread
over a wider range of temperature
but rice feeds the greatest number OF
human mouths. Among the swarming
millions of the tropics, and of China, it
occupies the same place as wheat in the
warmer parts Of the temperate zone,
and rye in the colder.
It has been estimated that, if the hu-
man race were divided into families ac-
cording to the predominant use of the
several grains, the rice eaters would
occupy the first place in number; while
wheat and maize would contend for
the second, with fair promise of VIC
tory for the maize; and the fourth place
would be held by rye, oats, and barley.
Indeed, besides being =" the staff of life
in most populous parts of the earth, it
is used so extensively among all the 9TH
er grain caters of the human race, that
it is questionable whether a greater
amount of it is not consumed as bread
stuff than of all the other cereals COM
bined.
Among the botanist rice is known by
its Latin name, Oryza. There is but
one species, though there are many va
rieties; for the wild rice, SO called, of
the North American ponds and lakes,
is not a rice, but reed-not an O1ysa
but Zisdaid.
Food chemists tells us that it contains
:" less of the nutritive principal than
wheat. This however, is in some
measure compensated by the fact that
of all the cereals it is the most compact
"a merchantable bushel of maize or
Indian corn. being raied at 56ibs.. and
wheat at 60fbs., while rice which rarely
sells by bulk. and therefore has no es-
tablished standing like the others, sell
dom weighs less than 65ibs., to the
bushel, and oftentimes more. Its COM
pactness is shown also in its resistance
to being crushed. having almost grav-
el-like hardness, and also in the fact
that ski1lful boiling will cause it to ex-
pand and double, perhaps treble, its
former bulk. But, however weighty in
the scales, it is exceedingly light upon
the stomach.
In general wholesomeness, IN delicacy
of flavor, and in ihe variety of uses to
which it is applicable. it is not sur
passed by any other grain. To the
strong stomach of the day laborer it is
as well suited as the coarse bread of the
Indian corn, rye, or oats; for the deli
cate appetite of the babe. invalid or for
the tender organs of it is a safe substi-
tute tor sago, arrowroot. tapioca, or cas-
Journal.
SULPHUR TO KILL VERMIN.-It is we'll
to know that the powdered sulphur of
the druggist is the cheapest. handiest
and best thing yet discovered for kill
ing parasites that infest sitting hens,
and find their way to fresh pastures up
on the chickens as soon as the latter
are hatched. Many times the people
complain that when the chickens are a
week OF two old, they drop or die from
the attack of large lice. which literally