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short distance S.W. of Melville Harbor, and might be called, from the fortress-like hills withinand around it, Fort Hill Plain. Near by, and towards the S.E., is by far the most beautifulglen we passed through, leit with its original forest in the upper portion, and traversed by alimpid stream. Amid a dense mass of tropical vegetation, were found tall cypresses and multi-tudes of ferns. Either bank was, in various parts, completely draped by the large and pendentleaves of the latter, ot which some were seen rising aloft to twenty or thirty, and even thirty-five feet in height. He who delights in ferns would here be delighted to satiety. Fern Glenwould be an appropriate name. In its lower portion there was a simple aqueduct thrown acrossthe stream, some eight feet high, to keep the water at a proper level for irrigating largersurfaces. It consisted of rudely-hewn troughs, supported by forked stakes. At the outlet ofthe valley there is a long stockaded embankment, filled in with earth, to break the force of therivulet when swollen to a mountain torrent.
All arable parts of the island being thus graded by the labor of ages, let us proceed to theculture of the land. This will be specified under the heads of various crops; premising, how-ever, that the land being cultivated upon the Metayer system, brought down almost to individ-uals (or possibly upon an allotment system), and consequently divided into very small portionsor parcels, and the labor being done by man, horticulture would seem to be a more appropriateterm than agriculture, and the whole country to he overspread by a series of gardens ratherthan farms.
Rice (oryrn sativa) appears to be the most valued, though probably not the most importantarticle of produce. It is grown only upon irrigated land. This is prepared by first saturatingit completely with water, which enables the long hoes to penetrate deeply and easily. Whileyet overflowed, a gang of men (one, two, three, or four) enter a plot, and each one hoes a rowacross it. They stand up to the knee in mud and water, which renders the short handle avail-able. No. 1 carries a row near a foot wide, which he draws away from the land, not unlike aplough furrow. No. 2 follows with a similar slice and furrow, and so with the rest. Whenfinished, it is not unlike ploughed land, deep, and well laid over in seams or ridges ; and it issurprising with what rapidity it is done. This operation was frequently witnessed, and thisalone; though the plough may possibly be used for this purpose at times. It is believed how-ever, that it only follows this, after an interval, for the purpose of still further-loosening thesoil. This again is followed by the harrow, to more effectually break down and comminute thewhole, and also to level the surface perfectly; the water yet remaining serving as a guide. Hereare ploughing and harrowing, not only in wet land, but in land actually under water I Whatwould our agriculturists say to this, so exactly opposite to their best practice? And yet it isequally good practice. It may now be understood how these slight implements answer theirpurpose, and can be drawn by one small horse or bull. By the way, bulls only were seen atthis work, and these sinking nearly to their bellies at every step.
The next operation is to set out the plants. These have been grown previously in similarplots, which presented lovely green spots in every valley. Across them demarcations are madeby lines, where no plants grow—the small lots belonging to different persons. The whole isprotected from crows by a few split bamboos set in the ground—some upright, and some bentinto bows, and in places by cords extended over the plots upon stakes. The plants are drawnby hand, tied into conveniently-sized bundles, and dropped into the water until required foruse. They are set out with great celerity. Gangs of hands move along inserting the plantsinto the soft earth, at intervals of six or eight inches, and, it being under water, the operation