n travelling through several countries of Asia,
observed with particular attention the objects of their agriculture,
and he 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 have 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 the 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. This seed too, coming from Vercelli, where the best rice is
supposed to grow, is more to be depended on than what may be sent me
hereafter. There is a rice from the Levant, which is considered as of a
quality still different, and some think it superior to that of
Piedmont. The troubles which have existed in that country for several
years back, have intercepted it from the European market, so that it is
become almost unknown. I procured a bag of it, however, at Marseilles,
and another of the best rice of Lombardy, which are on their way to
this place, and when arrived, I will forward you a quantity of each,
sufficient to enable you to judge of their qualities when prepared for
the table. I have also taken measures to have a quantity of it brought
from the Levant, unhusked. If I succeed, it shall be forwarded in like
manner. I should think it certainly advantageous to cultivate, in
Carolina and Georgia, the two qualities demanded at market; because the
progress of culture, with us, may soon get beyond the demand for the
white rice; and because too, there is often a brisk demand for the one
quality, when the market is glutted with the other. I should hope there
would be no danger of losing the species of white rice, by a confusion
with the other. This would be a real misfortune, a