Edible Products. 



304 



[October, 1911, 



in the fields. The different methods 

 appear to differ with the varieties grown 

 and also upon the degree of ripeness 

 when cut. Some varieties have to be 

 threshed out as soon as possible, or other- 

 wise a considerable quantity of paddy- 

 is lost, while with other varieties the 

 grains adhere strongly, and then it is an 

 advantage to tie up the rice into sheaves 

 and leave them on the dams or make 

 ' stooks,' as it thereby dries and threshes 

 out better. It would appear that if 

 there is any uncertainty as to weather, 

 ' stooking' would be preferable to leaving 

 the sheaves thrown on the dams. 



Threshing and Winnowing- 



Threshing is done by hand either over 

 a cross-bar of wood or on a sheet spread 

 on the ground, or by trampling by oxen. 

 Winnowing is usually accomplished by 

 hand. Winnowing machiues are being 

 used by some growers, and if their 

 efficiency were generally recognised it is 

 probable that their use would become 

 more common. Where a single grower 

 might not be justified in purchasing a 

 winnowing machine, a few growers 

 combined together might have sufficient 

 rice to warrant its purchase. Steam 

 threshing machines could not under the 

 prevailing conditions of rice culture be 

 used to advantage in this colony as 

 means of transport are not available, nor 

 could such machines work satisfactorily 

 in the fields themselves. 



All rice after it has been threshed out 

 and winnowed should be stored in a dry 

 place, as far as possible away from the 

 reach of vermin. Rats and other vermin 

 should be destroyed if they become at 

 all numerous. 



The average local yield is about 21 

 bags of 120 lbs. of paddy. The average 

 returns for the last twelve years is 

 shown in the following table : — 





Yields in bags 





Year. 



of 120 lbs. of 



Rainfall 



paddy 



inches. 





per acre. 





1898-1899 



18-4 



49-9 



1899-1900 



169 



52-7 



1900-1901 



20-0 



88-9 



1901-1902 



20-7 



81-3 



1902-1903 



18-5 



94-5 



1903-1904 



19-8 



99-2 



1904-1905 



19-2 



ion 



1905-1906 



18'5 



741 



1906-1907 



28-4 ... 



1128 



1907-1908 



23-0 



126-3 



1908-1909 



25-4 



911 



1909-1910 



221 



100-5 



Means 1898-1910 



20-9 



89-36 



The table shows that on the whole the 

 average returns are not governed by the 

 annual rainfall. The yield depends far 

 more on the distribution of the rain 

 during the year, and especially during 

 the crop season, than on the total preci- 

 pitation. It varies with the seasons in 

 different districts and yields of 35 to 40 

 bags are not uncommon. With atten- 

 tion, the average yield ought to be 

 considerably raised. In seme countries 

 the average yields are stated to be from 

 60 to 80 bushels per acre which is equiv- 

 alent to 24 to 32 bags of 120 lbs.— yields in 

 excess of the local ones. In India from 

 15 to 20 bags are reported as being ob- 

 tained at Experiment Stations, whilst 

 the general yields are only from 9 to 14 

 bags per acre according to land, climate, 

 and mode of cultivation. In Burma the 

 average yield is said to be 14 bags per 

 acre. But rice growers in British Guiana 

 with average yields of 21 bags per acre 

 cannot, owing to the higher value of 

 labour, compete commercially with the 

 yields of 9 to 14 bags obtained with the 

 cheap labour of India and Burma. 



Enemies. 



Birds are the chief enemies to the rice 

 crop of the colony. Ducks destroy a 

 large quantity of paddy sown in the 

 nurseries, but they prefer hard paddy 

 and therefore the damage can be reduced 

 to a considerable extent by soaking the 

 seed before sowing. Many other kinds 

 of birds feed on the rice during the 

 growing season or as it is ripening. 

 Their averages can be kept down to a 

 great extent by scaring. 



The rice bug and a small sucking fly 

 are common insect pests ; but their 

 attacks have fortunately up to the pre- 

 sent been localized, Recently, attapks 

 by a fungus have been noted. This turns 

 the paddy a dark-brownish colour and 

 renders the rice grain opaque. This 

 disease is being investigated at the pre- 

 sent time- 



Suggestions for Improvements. 

 A certain area should every year be 

 set aside by every rice grower on a 

 moderate scale for seed paddy for the 

 next crop. The best land should be 

 chosen and only the best paddy sown. 

 It would be of advantage if only seed 

 obtained from the Board of Agriculture 

 were this year sown in these specially 

 selected plots. This rice is practically 

 pure, and would constitute a good sample 

 to commence with. Before sowing the 

 nursery, it should be picked over by 

 hand in order to remove any bad grains. 

 In every sample of rice there are always 

 some bad grains, and these should be 

 removed if it is being used for the 



