The fourth mode of cultivating rice is by forcing a crop by artificial irrigation, at any time of the year; thus, in one field, in various plots, the operations of sowing, ploughing, transplanting, and reaping may be seen at the same period.
The fertile, populous, and industrious countries of the Eastern Archipelago export rice to their neighbours. The most remarkable of these are Java, Bali, some parts of Celebes, with the most fertile spots of Sumatra, and of the Malay Peninsula. Rice is generally imported to these western countries from those farther east, such as the Spice Islands. Java is the principal place of production for the consumption of the other islands, and the only island of the Archipelago that sends rice abroad. The rice of the eastern districts is generally superior to that of the western. The worst rice is that of Indramayu, which is usually discolored. The subdivision of the province of Cheribon, called Gabang, yields rice of fine white grain, equal to that of Carolina. The rice of Gressie preserves best. All Indian rice is classed, in commercial language, into the three descriptions of table rice, white rice, and cargo rice. From the limited demand for the first, it is only to be had in Java, in small quantity. For the same reason the second is not procurable in large quantity, unless bespoken some time before-hand; but the third may be had at the shortest notice in any quantity required. Java rice is inferior in estimation to that of Bengal or Carolina in the markets of Europe.
The following statistics show the extent and progress of the culture in Java:—
| In 1840. | In 1841. | |
| No. of Residencies in which rice is cultivated | 18 | 18 |
| " Regencies | 69 | 68 |
| " Districts | 414 | 414 |
| " Desas or villages | 39,931 | 36,296 |
| Amount of the population who take a part in it, without distinction of caste | 6,704,797 | 6,857,372 |
| Number of families, &c. | 1,466,845 | 1,475,675 |
| " " families who devote themselves to the cultivation | 1,150,406 | 1,146,083 |
| Number of men bound to obligatory service | 1,321,767 | 1,325,746 |
| Cleared grounds in bahus, of 71 decametres | 1,470,047 | 1,540,054 |
| Upon this extent the population had cultivated for the government, inbahusof 71 decametres | 78,182 | 74,277 |
| Extent of fields which the population had cultivated on their own account, inbahus, &c. | 1,286,139 | 1,381,216 |
| 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 abahu | 16½ | 17 |
| Gross amount of the land tax of 1840 | 8,502,402 fl | 9,030,761 fl. |
| Extent of rice fields newly cultivated inbahus | 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.
I know nowhere that rice is so cheap as in Java, except in Siam, whence it is exported at one-third less cost. A great deal of rice is exported from Siam to China by the junks, and also occasionally a little from Java.