300 TlMEHRI. 
whatever that it is a very desirable adjun6l to cane 
cultivation. Now that there is a tendency to concentrate 
the season for reaping canes into a few months at the 
end of the year, there is some difficulty in finding employ- 
ment for the gangs in the slack season. Rice-growing 
seems to be the very thing to meet the difficulty, since a 
crop can be taken off in such a short time. As I have 
shewn, a good crop of rice can pay a heavy rent and 
give remunerative and congenial employment to the 
labourer ; and the profit which is made on a good crop is 
quite sufficient to counterbalance the chance of a bad one. 
Steam cultivation, and reaping and threshing machines, 
may be enlisted in the development of the industry, and 
it may some day become the great industry of the colony. 
The formation of the coast lands is eminently suited for it, 
and the only thing that is required is a constant supply 
of water for irrigation. 
