§ 2. Generally the „sawahs" are tilled in the begin- 

 ning of the rain-season after being inundated as much 

 as possible; the small dikes are kept in good condition 

 and care is taken to weed the wild grass in order to 

 rid it of the vermin; then the water-ways are prepared. 

 While tilling the grounds, the seed-plots are prepared; to 

 this end a small surface (surrounded by small dikes en- 

 closed by a hedge) that has been thoroughly tilled is in- 

 undated until it becomes a soft muddy mass, an operation 

 which takes from 3 to 4 weeks ; afterwards whole rice-ears 

 are deposited in the mud or the grain is sown by hand. 

 The latter method is the better and entails less expenses 

 many grains being saved. However, it is not yet applied 

 everywhere, because the population in many places, atta- 

 ched to the old customs, prefer the former method, viz : 

 sowing whole ears. 



§ 3. The seed-plot is alternately inundated and 

 drained (first inundating during 8 to 10 days, then inun- 

 dating by day and draining by night) until, after IV2 to 2 

 months, (according to the kind and the disposition of the 

 ground) the seed has grown to plants of from 1 to 1 V4 feet 

 high, after which they are transported into the „sawahs", 

 which generally takes place in the months of November, 

 December or, at latest, in January. In places where, even 

 in the fair season, sufficient springwater can be had, rice 

 may be planted at any time of the year; the natives^ 

 however, pretend that rice reaped after the month of June 



