t is also customary to raise in
the same ground a species of momordica, the fruit of which comes forward
in the course of two months.

REAPING.

The nominal time allowed from the sowing to the reaping of the crop is
five lunar months and ten days; but from this it must necessarily vary
with the circumstances of the season. When it ripens, if all at the same
time, the neighbours are again summoned to assist, and entertained for
the day: if a part only ripens first the family begin to reap it, and
proceed through the whole by degrees. In this operation, called
tuwei-menuwei from the instrument used, they take off the head of corn
(the term of ear not being applicable to the growth of this plant) about
six inches below the grain, the remaining stalk or halm being left as of
no value. The tuwei is a piece of wood about six inches long, usually of
carved work and about two inches diameter, in which is fixed lengthwise a
blade of four or five inches, secured at the extremes by points bent to a
right angle and entering the wood. To this is added a piece of very small
bamboo from two to three inches long, fixed at right angles across the
back of the wood, with a notch for receiving it, and pinned through by a
small peg. This bamboo rests in the hollow of the hand, one end of the
piece of wood passing between the two middle fingers, with the blade
outwards; the natives always cutting FROM them.* With this in the right
hand and a small basket slung over the left shoulder, they very
expeditiously crop the heads of padi one by one, bringing the stalk to
the blade with their two middle fingers, and passing them, when cut, from
the right hand to the left. As soon as the left hand is full the contents
are placed in regular layers in the basket (sometimes tied up in a little
sheaf), and from thence removed to larger baskets, in which the harvest
is to be conveyed to the dusun or village, there to be lodged in the
tangkian or barns, which are buildings detached from the dwelling-houses,
raised like them from the ground, widening from the floor towards the
roof, and well lined with boards or coolitcoy. In each removal care is
taken to preserve the regularity of the layers, by which means it is
stowed to advantage, and any portion of it readily taken out for use.

(*Footnote. The inhabitants of Menangkabau are said to reap with an
instrument resembling a sickle.)

LOW-GROUND RICE.

Sawahs are plantations of padi in low wet ground, wh