202 HEXANDRIA DIGYNIA, Oryza. 
. 
they probably do not know that much.of the rice land — 
in Asia is so situated as to receive no help whatever from — 
nature, except what the air and rains yield ; however 
the greatest. proportion, and the best, are those that are 
overflowed annually by the inundations of large rivers. 
These we know receive from the waters much fertilizing 
matter; but the greatest part of the rice lands in the 
Circars, are of the former sort ; there they depend entire- 
ly upon the rains ; consequently can receive no help but 
from the rain. that immediately falls upon them, and 
the dry stubble that is annually left on the ground, to- | : 
gether with the remains of a few other plants that may 
have grown up with the rice. The crop is always al- 
lowed to be in every part dry ripe before cut, and is then 
immediately carried.off the field. Cattle are turned to 
-eatup the stubble through the day; but never suffered to 
remain on.it all night, as they are then constantly house- 
ed. I speak of those parts the Circars only which are near 
Samulcota; they cannot. therefore communicate much 
fertility to the ground, and I never, saw, nor heard of an 
east Indian farmer, manuring, in the smallest degree a 
rice field ; yet these fields have, for probably thousands of 
years, continued to yield annually a large crop of rice,on 
an average from thirty to sixty-fold ; agen eighty, ora 
hundred has been known, 7 ti 
There is no rotation of crops on rice lands, they lie 
idle from the time one crop is cut till the next is trans- 
planted into them, during which time the soil is most pet- 
fectly dried, I may say burnt up; whether it receives a- 
ny benefit from. being so, is a as on which I cannot 
pretend to.give an opinion... a 
The best rice lands. are extensive open plains, oiceni 
whickincn rivers pass, and which are exposed to. eve~ 
ry wind that blows. No hedge, nor any kind of shelter ; 
is here necessary, so that the plants are exposed to the 
greatest glare of solar light, and the freest circulation oF 
er ia 
