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and profit ; of this they have several different varieties, which the 

 natives distinguish by their size and the shape of the grain : the 

 birnambang, lamuyo, malagequit, bontot-cabayo, dumali, quinanda, 

 bolohan, and tangi. The three first are aquatic ; the five latter upland 

 varieties. They each have their peculiar uses. The dumali is the 

 early variety ; it ripens in three months from planting, from which 

 circumstance it derives its name: it is raised exclusively on the up- 

 lands. Although much esteemed, it is not extensively cultivated, as 

 the birds and insects destroy a large part of the crop. 



The malagequit is very much prized, and used for making sweet 

 and fancy dishes ; it becomes exceedingly glutinous, for which reason 

 it is used in making whitewash, which it is said to cause to become 

 of a brilliant white, and to withstand the weather. This variety is 

 not, however, believed to be wholesome. There is also a variety of 

 this last species which is used as food for horses, and supposed to be a 

 remedy and preventive against worms. 



The rice grounds or fields are laid out in squares, and surrounded 

 by embankments, to retain the water of the rains or streams. After 

 the rains have fallen in sufficient quantities to saturate the ground, 

 a seed-bed is generally planted in one corner of the field, in which the 

 rice is sown broadcast, about the month of June. The heavy rains 

 take place in August, when the fields are ploughed, and are soon filled 

 with water. The young plants are about this time taken from the 

 seed-bed, their tops and roots trimmed, and then planted in the field 

 by making holes in the ground with the fingers and placing four or 

 five sprouts in each of them ; in this tedious labour the poor women 

 are employed, whilst the males are lounging in their houses or in the 

 shade of the trees. 



The harvest for the aquatic rice begins in December. It is reaped 

 with small sickles, peculiar to the country, called yatap ; to the back 

 of these a small stick is fastened, by which they are held, and the 

 stalk is forced upon it and cut. The spikes of rice are cut with this 

 implement, one by one. In this operation, men, women, and children 

 all take part. 



The upland rice requires much more care and labour in its cultiva- 

 tion. The land must be ploughed three or four times, and all the turf 

 and lumps well broken up by the harrow. 



During its growth it requires to be weeded two or three times, to 

 keep the weeds from choking the crop. The seed is sown broadcast 

 in May. This kind of rice is harvested in November, and to collect 

 the crop is still more tedious than in the other case, for it is always 

 galhered earlier, and never reaped, in consequence of the grain not 



