RICE, a genus of plants belonging to the hexandra class, and in the natural method ranking under the 4th order, Graminae. See BOTANY Index.

There is but one species, namely the sativa, or common rice. This plant is greatly cultivated in most of the eastern countries, where it is the chief support of the inhabitants; and great quantities of it are brought into England and other European countries every year, where it is much esteemed for puddings, &c. It being too tender to be produced in these northern countries without the assistance of artificial heat; but from some feeds which were formerly sent to Carolina there have been great quantities produced, and it is found to succeed as well there as in the east.

This plant grows upon moist soils, where the ground can be flowed over with water after it is come up. So that whoever would cultivate it in this country should sow the seeds upon a hot-bed; and when the plants are come up, they should be removed into pots filled with light rich earth, and placed in pans of water, which should be plunged into a hot-bed; and, as the water wastes, it must from time to time be renewed again. In July these plants may be set abroad in a warm situation, still preserving the water in the pans, otherwise they will not thrive; and, toward the latter end of August, they will produce their grain, which will ripen tolerably well, provided the autumn proves favourable. The leaves of rice are long, like the reed, and fleshy; the flowers blow on the top like barley; but the seed which follows is disposed in clusters, each of which is inclosed in a yellow hulk, ending in a spiral thread. The seed is oblong, or rather oval, and white.

Rice is the chief commodity and riches of Damietta in Egypt. Dr Haffelquitt gives the following description of the manner in which they dress and separate it from the hulls. "It is pounded by hollow iron pestles of a cylindrical form, lifted up by a wheel worked by oxen. A person sitting between the two pestles, pushes forward the rice when the pestles are rising; another sifts, winnows, and lays it under the pestles. In this manner they continue working it until it is entirely free from chaff and hulls. When clean, they add a 30th part of salt, and pound them together; by which the rice, formerly gray, becomes white. After this purification, it is passed through a fine sieve to part the salt from the rice; and then it is ready for sale." Damietta sells every year 60,850 sacks of rice, the greatest part of which goes to Turkey, some to Leghorn, Marseilles, and Venice.