When properly boiled, Rice should be snowy white, perfectly dry and smooth, and every grain separate and distinct.  To attain this end, put a quart of water on the fire , and let it boil well, with a teaspoonful of salt.  Wash a cup of rice well in cold water.  When the water commences to boil well, add the Rice.  Stir occassionally and gently with a wooden spoon.  The boiling water will toss the grains of Rice, and prevent them from clinging together.  As soon as the grains commence to soften, do not, under any circumstances, stir or touch the Rice again.  Let it continue to boil rapidly for about twenty , or until the grains begin to swell out, and it appears to thicken.  This is easily ascertained by touching one of the grains with your finger.  When it has reached this stage, take the cover off and pour off the water, and set the pot in the oven, so that the Rice may swell up.  Let it stand in the oven about ten minutes.  Do not let it brown, but simply dry - that is, let the water which rises dry out of the Rice.  Take it off , and let it stand a few minutes.  Then pour out into a dish.  Every grain will be white and beautiful, and stand apart, because the drying int he oven will have evaporated the moisture, leaving the Rice soft, snowy white and perfectly dry.
....Never set Rice to cook in cold water, or you will have a thick, mushy dish that is most unpleasant to the sight, and equally to the taste.
Always use boiling water.  Boil rapidly from the time that you cover the pot until you take it off, for this allows each grain to be tossed away from the other constantly, and also allows it to swell to three times its normal size.  The constant motion of the water prevents the grains from sticking together.
Do not stir from the moment it begins to boil, for it will be noticed that when first the Rice is put into the water it will cease boiling till the Rice is heated.  Stir occassionally during this period, to keep it from sinking to the bottom and burning, but do not touch it with a spoon or fork or anything once it has commenced boiling.  Follow implicitly the directions about setting in the oven and allowing the Rice "to sweat," as the old Creoles say.  You will then have a dish that is not only very beautiful and tempting to the sight, but most delectable to the taste.