112 TlMEHRI. 
cutlass, and the cuttings when dry are partly carried 
away for fuel to cook food and the remainder is burned 
where it lies. 
The beds are what are known as round ridged, the 
small drain in many cases forming a hollow 6 feet at 
surface, 2 feet at bottom and 4 feet deep. The workman 
begins by reversing the order of cane culture, and delves 
the entire surface with all its noxious grasses a foot 
deep, and buries all in the drains which cost the sugar 
planters so much to dig. This work at once gets rid of 
all grass, and the hoe is set to work to chop the ground 
quite fine to a depth of 4 to 5 inches ; water is now let 
on, and the whole made into a puddle exa6lly a s 
I have already described at Edinburgh ; in fa£t, the 
after treatment is exactly the same, and in every way 
resembles the best system carried out in South Carolina. 
The Anna Regina paddy farmers seldom grow a ratoon 
crop, being satisfied to reap 3 full crops in the year 
after the preparation and planting. In the eight months 
allowed rent free first year, they establish and reap one 
crop, and have another well established, which covers 
preliminary heavy work in levelling down, &c, &c. 
Mr. McPhail, to whom I am indebted for the follow- 
ing figures, writes as follows : — " The first year when 
the beds have to be levelled, this process alone costing 
$16 and $20, they only secure one full crop, though the 
second is well established. It is fair to take up the working 
expenses at this stage, and I may add that the farmers 
who have prepared the land best are the most willing to 
pay rent punctually. The land with stubble is burnt off 
and hoed up, and converted into a proper puddle for 
receiving the rice plants, which are grown in a nursery. 
