An Account of 

 The Cultivation of Rice in Malacca. 



It is the established custom in Malacca territory to plant 

 rice once a year and the season for doing so generally falls 

 about the month of Zilkaidah or Zilhijah*, In starting planting 

 operations^ however, the object is if possible to coincide with the 

 season when the West wind blows, because at that time there 

 are frequent rains and accordiug'ly the earth of the rice-field 

 becomes soft and easy to plough. Moreover in planting rice it 

 is an invariable rule that there must be water in the field, in order 

 that the rice may sprout properly ; though on the other hand if 

 there is too great a depth of water the rice is sure to die. It 

 has also been observed that as a . rule the season of the West 

 wind coincides with the fourth monthf of the Chinese calendar, 

 and sometimes also with the month of Zilkaidah or Zilhijah. 



2. — In olden time the order of planting operations was as 

 follows : — First the elders had to hold a consultation with the 

 Pawaug ; then the date was fixed ; then Maulud prayers were read 

 over the "mother seed" and benzoin, supplied by the pawang ; 

 was burned ; then all the requisites for rice planting were got 

 ready, viz : — 



(1) A strong buffalo (to pull the plough) ; 



(2) A plough with its appurtenances (to turn over the 

 earth and the short weeds) : 



(3) A harrow with its appurtenances (to level and break 

 up small the clods of earth left by the plough) ; 



[*In 1893 these mouths extended from the 1 7th Mav to the l-tth July , 

 C. O. B.] 



[fin 1808 from the Kith Mav to the 13th June. — C. 0. B.] 



