294 TlMEHRI. 
low, and they continued to be comparatively so until the 
very heavy season set in at the end of last year, when 
the sugar estates had to raise wages to attra6l labourers 
to re-establish the cane cultivation which was nearly 
drowned out. At the same time the rice-growers were 
suffering from a plague of rats which were doing great 
damage to their crops. The consequence was that the 
rice cultivation was pra6lically suspended for about six 
months. When, however, wages became normal, the 
labourers again turned their attention to rice, and to-day 
over ioo acres are in full cultivation, while every 
day some more is being planted. Very little labour is 
required to re-establish the cultivation of a bed which has 
ever been prepared for rice, and the lease of such a bed 
although subjeft to rent, with no cultivation on it, is a 
marketable commodity. 
Mr. Winter, the proprietor of Coffee Grove, has 
leased a good deal of his front lands to immigrants for 
rice cultivation, and it presents a very handsome and 
healthy appearance. I have heard of no other systematic, 
or comparatively permanent attempts at rice-growing on 
a large scale in the colony. No doubt a large quantity 
of rice is raised in the savannahs, and in some instances 
with good results ; but the difficulty of regulating the 
supply of water must be ruinous in many cases. 
Having given this sketch of the districts of the rice 
industry in the colony to the best of my knowledge, I 
now proceed to describe the mode of cultivation, with its 
cost. The front lands of Anna Regina and Cojfee 
Grove on which rice is grown, are very low, their average 
level being 50 Georgetown Datum, or about 2 feet under 
the level of the water in navigation trenches. The 
