Dear Editor,
I am a reference librarian writing to correct a factual error in “The Cannon Corner” column (Dec. 9, 2004 issue).
The columnist refers to wild rice research in Minnesota as an example of government waste, as rice is a warm weather crop. However, wild rice is not rice at all but is in fact the grains of an aquatic plant that is native to the American Midwest. The grains of the plant superficially resemble rice but it is a distinct plant, belonging to the grass family. The actual scientific name is Zizania palustris.
If you go to the grocery store and buy wild rice you will see it is extremely expensive because of the difficulty and restrictions of harvesting it from rivers and lakes. Wild rice is an important agricultural product for states such as Wisconsin and Minnesota. The government grant probably is no different than similar programs for other crops such as corn, wheat or rutabagas.
Charles Allan

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