Notes on the Society's Work in 1897-1918. xlix. 



result in such heavy returns of rice as does irrigation with creek-water 

 whilst the yields from using artesian well-water may be even lower than 

 from rain. Our trials during recent years have proved that artesian 

 well-water must be applied to the land in a continuous flow, and not 

 intermittently, as swamp or creek water is used. Where artesian water 

 is emjDloyed the need of repeated tillage between the succeeding crops 

 becomes very marked ; our trials show that an additional thorough 

 ploughing may increase the yields from 4 to 9 cwts. of paddy per acre. 



It is possible to get 5 crops of rice in two years by using continu- 

 ously flowing artesian well-water, the total yield of paddy thus obtained 

 in our trials being 166 cwt. per acre or at the rates of 33i cwt. per crop 

 or 83 cwt. per annum. During the same period two crops of rice were 

 obtained on similar land using creek-water which together weighed 87 

 cwt. Thus although the crops obtained through the use of artesian water 

 are not individually as high as those obtainable by the use of creek-water 

 the total yields obtained by constant cropping may be much the greater. 



I am satisfied that using artesian well-water with thorough tillage 

 between the crops, four crops of rice can be obtained in two years weigh- 

 ing from 130 to 150 cwt., which yield would compare very favourably with 

 the crops obtained by the double cropping system with creek-water in 

 North East Essequebo where an average yield of about 96 cwt. of rice 

 in two years and a maximum one of 120 cwt. is obtained. 



There are still vast areas of potential rice-lands available on the 

 front-lauds of the colony and I think we may look forward with con- 

 fidence to a time in the near future when we shall have, say, 100,000 

 acres cropped with paddy yielding from 75,000 to 80,000 tons of cleaned 

 rice per annum. 



It is usual to ascribe the success of the rice-industry solely to the 

 East Indian section of the community. This is not strictly correct ; its 

 initiation was due to negro colonists ; its early development on a 

 small scale was due to the unaided efforts of the East Indians ; its 

 greater development lias been due to the manner in which rice-millers 

 and lccal capitalists have co-operated with and financially aided the East 

 Indians in building up the industry on commercial lines. 



I alluded earlier in this address to the great impetus which the 

 establishment in 1897 of the pioneer, thoroughly equipped, rice-mill in 

 Georgetown gave to the industry. There is now under inception by the 

 Government the erection of a factory for producing flour from rice, 

 pulses, corn or maize and similar grains. Its cost may be in the vicinity 

 S?30,000. I think that that sum will be well invested and that British 

 Guiana rice-flour may in the near future become a regular article of 

 export to the West Indian Islands. At present there is a large amount 

 of broken rice produced in the various rice-mills and it is hoped with 

 suitable appliances to so thoroughly clean this by-product that it may be 

 successfully converted into high-grade rice-flour. 



