Cleared grounds in bahus, of 71 decametres 1,470,047 1,540,054

  Upon this extent the population had cultivated for
    the government, in bahus of 71 decametres 78,182 74,277

  Extent of fields which the population had cultivated 1,286,139 1,381,216
    on their own account, in bahus, &c.

  Extent of land in fallow in bahus, &c. 105,726 84,561

  Produce in piculs of fields cultivated by the
    population on its own account 21,273,278 23,810,573

  Average produce of a bahu 161/2 17

  Gross amount of the land tax of 1840 8,502,402 fl 9,030,761 fl.

  Extent of rice fields newly cultivated in
    bahus 10,328 13,561

This comparative summary shows that the culture of rice increases yearly, and that the average produce of the fields is also continually increasing.  These results have been obtained by the attention paid to the proper irrigation of the soil fit for this culture; and to the hydraulic works which the Government executes on its own account in the parts of the island where rice fields can be established, and where they are required to feed a population whose number is still increasing yearly.

I have seen, continues Mr. Crawfurd, lands which have produced, from time beyond the memory of any living person, two yearly crops of rice.  When this practice is pursued, it is always the five-months grain which is grown.  The rapid growth of this variety, has, indeed, enabled the Javanese husbandman, in a few happy situations, to urge the culture to the amount of six crops in two years and a half.  Rice cultivated in a virgin soil, where the wood has been burnt off, will, under favorable circumstances, give a return of twenty-five and thirty fold.  Of mountain rice, cultivated in ordinary upland arable lands, fifteen fold may be looked upon as a good return.  In fertile soils, when one crop only is taken in the year, marsh rice will yield a return of twenty-five seeds.  When a double crop is taken, not more than fifteen or sixteen can be expected.  In the fine province of Kadu, an English acre of good land, yielding annually one green crop and a crop of rice, was found to produce of the latter 641 lbs. of clean grain.  In the light sandy, but well watered lands of the province of Mataram, where it is the common practice to exact two crops of rice yearly without any fallow, an acre was found to yield no more than 285 lbs. of clean rice, or an annual produce of 570 lbs. —­("History of the Indian Archipelago.”)

The low estimation of Java rice is not attributable to any real inferiority in the grain, but to the mode of preparing it for the market.  In husking it, it is, for the want of proper machinery, much broken, and, from carelessness in drying, subject to decay from the attack of insects and worms.  When in the progress of improvement more intelligent methods are pursued in preparing the grain for the market, it will equal the grain of any other country.  Machinery must be employed for husking the grain, and some degree of kiln drying will be necessary to ensure its preservation in a long voyage.