170 AGRICULTURE IN THE TROPICS [PT. Ill 



well euough that weeding gives a better crop, but he does not 

 always consider the result worth the labour. If some simpler 

 and easier method of weeding could be introduced, say by 

 the use of a tool like the ' American roller hoe, or like the 

 " cultivator," it might be possible to encourage weeding, and 

 thus get an increased crop in many cultivations. It is idle 

 to tell the native to weed, or to teach him theoretically that 

 weeding is good ; he must be shown that it pays, without 

 costing more money or labour than he can afford, or than he 

 is willing to give. 



A conspicuous feature in native agriculture throughout 

 southern Asia, which often offends the eye of those who have 

 a superficial acquaintance with European agriculture, is the 

 wild jungle-like mixture of fruit trees, bamboos, vegetables, 

 etc., which forms the average native garden. As pointed out 

 above, it is highly probable that this arrangement gives many 

 of the advantages which have elsewhere to be attained by 

 rotation of crops, and the villager is thus able to grow his 

 familiar foods, etc., on the same ground for an indefinite number 

 of years. Mixture of crops, as well as rotation, require very 

 careful study in detail before any hasty attempt is made to 

 change immemorial custom. 



The treatment of the individual trees, or of the crop plants, 

 on the other hand, is probably capable of a good deal of im- 

 provement without such great difficulty. If the villager knew 

 how to graft and bud, he might have his fruit trees improved 

 by introducing new varieties. His methods of sowing broad- 

 cast are probably often capable of being improved to the saving 

 of seed. He might very well learn the advantages of regular 

 pruning of fruit trees on definite principles, of selection of good 

 parents for seed, of better methods of propagation, of sound 

 systems of manuring, and many other such things. But the 

 motto must always be festina lente, and every step proposed 

 must first be very carefully tested. 



The next point to be considered is improvement in clean- 

 liness of cultivation and freedom from disease. The mixed 

 cultivation above described is of course a considerable safeguard 

 against disease spreading rapidly over a large area, but on the 



