The foods, as well as the war, have had a tremendous effect on the lite of the people. For six months of the year, their land is under water. 'This means a total loss of their autumn crop of beans and sweet potatoes, as well as shuachiai which is used' up here extensively for fuel. Last year everything had to be carried in from places outside the flooded areas. This Slone was sufficient to send the prices soaring, so that fuel is now five times what it-was three years ago. So hard up are the farmers, that in the flood-areas they have been obliged to sell pr Kill their cattle because focding them Is quite beyond them. Last winter when making a trip through these areas I didn't see one head of caltle, The whole district presents a sad picture of devastation, But it is an ill wind that blows nobody yood. "As soon as the floods eave the plain in December, the farmers get busy and plant their spring wheat, Favoured with plenty of rain and good weather, this wheat can be Feaped just before the floods descend upon them in all their fury the following June. In this way, they manage to eke out a precarious existence. yer of Rich Sediment When the floods subside they leave behind them a thick layer of rich sediment, in some places as much as three fect. This is ood for the wheat, with the result that this year's Wheat crop was something like 20 per cent. better than previous good years. Some farmers, it 1s said, have reaped enough this year {0 do them for Jhteen months. In some places the yield was five and six teo to the metz in one place it was almost one tan to the meo—an unusually good yield.
While the Mooded areas are suffer-jing from too much water; the other districts are praying for rain. The country is so dry that wells and itches have long ago dried up, and the country people have had rain parodes when they take the rain god out for an airing, and leave him in the broiling sun until he is obliged to send the desired rain, Local rains have
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.