Rice. 105 
agriculturist from the old country, and made him think 
the land ruined for ever. Having reduced it into this 
state, a plank was set on edge, and with a pole extend- 
ing to and fastened to the yoke, this blunt rake was 
hauled backwards and forwards until the surface was as 
smooth as a billiard table ; water was of course admitted 
all through these operations. On a small paddock of 
about 4 square roods, was sown the seed rice, much as 
we see cabbage-seed planted in English gardening. 
By the time the land was reduced to the puddle above 
described, these seedlings were seven to eight inches 
high, and the seed bed being in a state of pulp, they were 
easily pulled up in handfuls of a dozen to each handful. 
These were conveyed to their final destination, and the 
operator separating a single stalk plunged his hand 
down some four or five inches into the puddle, and by a 
judicious turn of the hand, left the rice shoot firmly 
planted in the soil, each plant being set in squares nine 
by nine inches or thereabout. For the first few days the 
plants so pulled about looked drooping and seedy, but 
they did not remain long in this condition, for on the 
plant taking to its new position it began to throw out 
shoots more like leeks than a simple cereal. In a 
month's time the women and children went through and 
plucked out all indigenous weeds and grasses, and 
tying these into small handfuls, placed them under foot 
and firmly imbedded them in the soft soil, there to rot 
and form manure for the rice crop. Water was let on 
from navigation canals at stated intervals, and when the 
water ran low, recourse was had to the basket with double 
strings, and the lift being nextto nothing, it was astonishing 
how soon a couple of men could lay an acre under water. 
o 
