is only adopted on original ground and only „Oriza mon- 

 tana" and not „Oriza sativa" is used in this case. 



§ 6. Rice is highly susceptible to diseases and has 

 much to suffer from vermin. Sometimes the plant seems 

 sound and fresh, whilst the ears remain empty. 



During heavy rains, when the water cannot run away, 

 a kind of caterpillar makes its way through the stalk and 

 kills the plant. 



An insect, the „walang sangit" (Leptocorisa acuta) 

 abstracts the sap from the newly-budded ear and so 

 prevents the fruit from forming. In a short time the whole 

 crop is entirely destroyed in this way. 



Of late years a disease has been made a subject of 

 study, which the natives call : mentek, mendek, dedet, onto 

 merah, etc. The parasite, which causes this disease, is a ne- 

 matode, known under the name of „Tyleachus Oryzea"; it 

 attacks the root. The more or less bad quality of the soil 

 has a great influence on the development of this disease. 



Mice are not less destructive for in a single night 

 they can destroy a whole rice-field. 



§ 7. The off-shoots are not lopped by means of a 

 scythe, but one by one cut with a small crooked knife, 

 that is held between the fingers. Knife and offshoot are 

 held in the same hand and then the latter is cut; with the 

 other hand, the ears are gathered, The cut-off rice is made 

 into bundles in the field and then stacked. If the weather 

 is favourable, it is dried in the field. 



