The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-11-08

removed, leaving the germ with il.
vltamine content, the mineral s,b
stence and the fat, is a vastly r,o..
valuable food than polished rice
1t would tend to supplement man
OF the characteristic DEFICIENCIES =,
our diet. 1t would be a great tbiro
therefore, if the use of brown -,
could be made popular.
The trade gems TO he raa5- .
supply any demand there NAV h
There are three grocery stores A.
least in Washington where brov,
rice may be bought from falI min
spring. 1t is not kept in the sun.
mer, because, as one grocer pDrg
II, 1t becomes "weeyily." Ii can he
bought in this city, however a,
least eight months in the vos-
Doubtless it can be bought AT jarao
grocery stores in other cities IN
smaller places it is not obtainabIa
simply because there is little az
no demand for it.
Wild Rice Now Sold.
1t Is surprise to find that the
retal stores here also have for
sale the wild rice of North Amer
lea. This is a grain. some what dis
family related TO the true rice
which grows in many of Our
swamps and marshes. Il is the
favorite food Of wild fowl. II was
a staple Of the American Indians
who used to paddle through the
marshes in their canoes and shat
ter the grain into the boat with
their paddles. Some of the pioneers
used it, too. 1t is a tasty and nu-
tritiouS grain. Many persons l,y-
ing in this country could gather
an abundant supply of this yaIua-
bic grain without cost if they knew
it when they saw it. II is said that
the cultivation of the wild rice is
almost impossible because of the
ease with which it skaters.
The growing of rice has had an
interesting history in this country.
Although rice has been grown in
the tropics since before written
history began, it did not reach this
country until about 1900. A bag Of
rice was then brought to Charles
ton, S. G., on ship, and the cul-
tiVation of i began in a small Way.
1t soon became the staple crop OF
that region and was grown on the
tidal marshes by the use of much
hand labor, for machinery could
not be used in the deep mud. Rice
growing was very profitable, but
only because of the presence Of
slave labor. The industry had the
honor of supporting the most arts
tocratic society which America has
ever knOWn-that of South Caro-
lima before the war. The owners
Of the great rice plantations Of
that state were the cream of the
old southern society, and most OF
the legend and story about old
plantation days is based upon
them.
This regime collapsed complete
ly when the Civil war took its
slaves away from it. The T!S8
fields reverted to jungle and for &
time rice culture was at very low
ebb in this country. Then it began
again farther west. where it was
grown by different methods. per
hitting OF the use OF machinery
This western rice farming is an
industry OF recent growth. Cali
fornia marketed its first rice crop
in 1912. The leading riCe-pr0duc-
ing states now in the order Of their
Importance are Louisiana. Texas,
Arkansas and California. Some
rice is raised in Mississippi, Flor
ida. Alabama and Missouri.
The rice produced in these states
is more than enough to supply all
the needs of this country, and more
rice could be raised. The general
use of rice. especially in its I'M
epoIished form. would give the rs
ton one more great food crop OF
the highest value.