Rice. 117 
cuting the industry. I might spread my hands along the 
entire delta, from Corentyn to Barima, and say, wherever 
water can be stored against drought for purposes of 
irrigation, there rice can be grown to advantage. 
The lower Essequibo coast may be now looked upon 
as the centre of the industry. Coming further up 
to that grand well-watered district embraced by the 
Itooribiscie and Supenaam Creeks, rice growing has 
already taken hold ; but the want of water in times of 
drought causes it to languish. Place barrages across 
those two creeks, and cause the water to spread along 
the face of the district as now so well accomplished on 
the Boerasirie on the West Coast, and the Lama and its 
tributaries on the East Coast, and the finest rice fields in 
the world would be opened up. Huist-te-Dieren was 
selected for a coolie settlement, simply because of its 
proximity to the Itooribiscie, and the natural formation 
of the land along the whole of that estate, and that dis- 
trict, which is laid off in terraces by ancient tidal action* 
affording swamps suitable for rice cultivation, alternately 
with bands of high loamy land fit for the growth of 
vegetables calling for drained soil. 
The districts embraced by Mahaicony and Abary Creeks 
are exactly the same ; and allusion has already been made 
to the praiseworthy start made by the East Indian pro- 
prietors of Novar and Dundee. 
The Canje Creek has long been noted for the superior 
quality of rice grown on its banks high up country. 
Within the last few years, the abandoned estate Prospett 
has been taken up by Indian rice growers, and con- 
sidering the meagre supply of water at their command, 
they have done wonders, and now with a supply of fresh 
