. The Philippine Islands . Macan, is of much the finer quality, the most esteemed varietybeing that of white grain. Paga, or highland rice, is in large pro-portion of red grain. Its return is but half that of the Macan rice,but only one crop of the latter can be grown annually, while usuallythree crops of Paga rice are raised. One difficulty in Paga rice-cultivation is the presence of a fly that sucks the flower and pre-vents seeding. These the planters whisk off morning and eveningwith a bunch of straw, tied to the end of a stick. The Macan grain is sown in June, in a plot set aside for seedi
. The Philippine Islands . Macan, is of much the finer quality, the most esteemed varietybeing that of white grain. Paga, or highland rice, is in large pro-portion of red grain. Its return is but half that of the Macan rice,but only one crop of the latter can be grown annually, while usuallythree crops of Paga rice are raised. One difficulty in Paga rice-cultivation is the presence of a fly that sucks the flower and pre-vents seeding. These the planters whisk off morning and eveningwith a bunch of straw, tied to the end of a stick. The Macan grain is sown in June, in a plot set aside for seeding,and saturated with water until it is a mass of mud. Here in six Agriculture : The Sugar and Rice Crops. 211 weeks the plants grow to the height ot a foot. They are then pulledup by the roots and transplanted in the flooded fields, in whichthe final growth is to be attained. Around these fields banks ofearth are raised to prevent the water from flowing oft. Themen raise and separate the plants, and the women set them out. NAini-, IILLLIM. KlLli again, one plant at a time, wading through the soft mud, in whichthey often sink to the knees. The process seems a tedious one,but I have often been surprised to see the rapidity with which thenatives perform it. It is a process in which they are thoroughlytrained, and at which they are remarkably quick. 212 The Philippine Islands. Four months more are needed for the ripening of the grain,during whicii the helds are kept clear of weeds, the natives wadingback and forth through the mud in their task. After cutting andheaping, the paddy is made into stacks. In six weeks more thegrain is separated from the straw by treading or by the use of theflail, or by causing ponies to trot over it. It may be said that thereis notliing in nature more beautiful than a valley of green ripeningrice in the midst of verdant hills. In the flood of rich colorbeneath my eyes, I have gazed upon such a scene with inexpress-ible delight. PRIMITIVE M.\CHI
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, booksubjectphilippinesdescripti
