90 canx. —Comparative Fertility. 



teen guntangs of seed. The difference in favor of 

 this local Malayan husbandry is then tore 219 gun- 

 tangs of paddie for each orlong cultivated — liesid* s 

 the profit arising to the latter by the saving- of labor. 

 To obtain, on the Tavoy coast, the deaf return of 470 

 guntangs of paddie, — being the average above >iat< d for 

 Province Wei lesley, including laud newly cleared, and 

 nut yet become fulh proiluctive, — it would be required 

 to cultivate 1 & 4-Gth orlongand to sow 23| guntanga 

 of seed. 



The total present population of the latter Province 

 could be supported on ihe average tjiiantily of rice 

 raised on 24 square miles of superficies; while on the 

 Coast alluded to, an area of about 43 square milts- 

 would he required toMippir food tosueh a population. 



The very superior fertility of the Province Wei lesley 

 soil depends on its alluvial composition, and on its 

 being level and easily accessible to water — and in some 

 loealiiies, on Us being comparatively uevi ; Imi this last 

 circumstance does not seem to operate as might be? 

 supposed: for some land, which has been longest under 

 cultivation, or upwards of "20 years, yields the largest 

 crops, 9 



The soil of Maut una or Martahaii Province, of 

 which Molatnein (brined a part, seemed tonic, while 

 travelling its plains in 1825, to approach wares! 

 to the standard of this coast. Pegu, however, being 

 for the most part an extensive delta composed of al- 

 luvfon, its soil perhaps takes the lead of ours. The 

 productiveness of the soil of Malacca or oi Singapore 

 vi ill scarcely, it is sup |>osed, reach our standard: 30-f<>ld 

 is 1 he estimated average at libera. Out of 42. 667 

 orlongs, the quantity supposed to Je k available at 

 Malacca for rice cultivation, only 3,297 orlongs were 

 under tillage three years ago. Aecordiug to Ihe 

 "Malayan Annuls," and they are rendered credible by 



