Show chance brought wild rice to united states rice came to america by accident in the year 1694 a rice laden vessel from madagascar bound for liverpool put in to charleston Charle harbor in a ragtag miring storm the captain noting that the lead land und and soil near charleston resembled that where tile the rice was grown gave the governor of the colony a handful telling aln ahlai that it michl grow it if planted relates the washington star the governor planted the rice and several months later harvested the first crop ever grown in america since that time rice has steadily lily advanced until now it Is a leading product of the southern states it first spread into georgia from the carolines and with the beginning of the civil war it entered louisiana now the be leading rice state late of the union it gradually found its way to florida mississippi alabama texas and neatly into arkansas later its cultivation was tried with success to in california califor for |