The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1907-06-14
AMERICAN RICE MAY BE KING.
A Great Revolution in the Methods oA
Production.
Introduction of Machinery by Which the Cost of the
Crop Is Greatly Reduced-VaIue of Rice
FOOd-Immense Amount Eaten
BY Nations of the Orient.

Unfortunately, fashion has much to
do with rice, 1t requires high gloss,
and to obtain this the most nutritious
portions are removed by the process
known as polishing" In this pro-
cess. nearly all of the fatty substance
is removed from the grain. There are
more than seven pounds of fats in
100 pounds of rice polish, whereas in
100 pounds of polished rice there is
less than half a pound of fat. Rice
polish is nearly twice as valuable for
food as polished rice. Another trout
Bile is that the flavor of the grain is
largely in the fats, and this is taken
away by the polishing. 1t is not sur
prising that American travellers so fire.
quently praise rice that they get
abroad, saying that it is superior to
our own. The polishing, which gives
to the rice its pearly lustre, is effect
ed by friction against pieces of moose
hide or sheepskin tanned and worked
to a high degree of softness.
Analyses show that 100 pounds of
rice contain 81 10 pounds of total nut
riment, of which 70 IL pounds are
starch and sugar, and nearly IL
pounds protein, which is the stuff
which goes to make muscle and blood.
Rice has somewhat more nutritive
material than wheat, but it contains
less protein. This deficiency is sup
piled in warm countries, where rice
is so large an item in the food of the
people, by the addition of beans and
other such legumes, which take the
place Of meat. In rice producing
countries this cereal is used as a sub
stitute for Irish potatoes and wheat
bread. At every meal in ORIENTAL
lands it is the principal food, being
eaten most commonly with a little
fish for seasoning. In we'll to do fam
lilies bits of preserved ginger, beans,
mushrooms barley cake and sweets
are employed as relishes with the rice.
In rice growing districts of the Unit
ed States rice takes the place of the
Irish potato. Dyspeptics will find
great relief in substituting boiled rice
for potatoes in their diet. Boiled rice
is digestible in one hour; but rice
should be at least three months old
before it is used as food.
There are an immense number of
varieties of cultivated rice, differing
not only as to size, shape and color
Of the grain, but even to flavor and
to the relative proportion Of food ele-
ments. South Carolina and Japan
rices are rich in fats, and hence are
ranked high in regard to flavor and
nutrition. botanical catalogue enum-
crates 161 varieties of rice found in
Ceylon alone, while in Japan, China
and India no less than 1400 varieties
are said to exist Rice from Madagas-
car was introduced into South Caro-
lima in 1894, a few seeds of it being
sown in garden which is now one
Of the thickly built portions of
Charleston From these seeds came
The rice that has made South Caro-
lima famous as a rice producing state.
The way in which this Madagascar
rice was obtained seems to have been
rather odd Ramsay's History of
South Carolina" states that vessel
homeward bound from Madagascar
(she was English or Dutch) was driy-
en- by stress of weather to seek shell
ter in the harbor of Charleston, and
the skipper seized the opportunity to
visit an old acquaintance, the govern
or of the province, Thomas Smith,
whom he had met in Madagascar Smith
expressed a desire to experiment with
growing rice on moist patch Of
ground in the garden, whereupon the
captain presented him with a small
bag Of seed which happened to be
among the ships stores. The seeds
were planted in a garden in Longitude
lane, Charleston.-Ne England Gro
Ger.