288 THE RUBBER TREE BOOK 



work, when the mosquitoes are not too virulent in their on- 

 slaughts. 



Galvanized iron roofs are much too hot, and if used there 

 should be an under-ceiling of wood. Bathing accommodation 

 is essential. W.c.'s and kitchens are generally outside buildings 

 and must be connected by covered-in passages. 



Assistants' bungalows need only one spare bedroom, but 

 otherwise correspond with the above, but on a smaller scale. 



A few flowering plants help the appearance of a bungalow, 

 but the border of empty beer bottles turned upside down some- 

 times to be seen is apt to cause a wrong impression. 



Coolie-lines. The coolie-lines ought in nearly every case 

 to be of a permanent or at least semi-permanent description. 

 In Java this is seldom the case. The kampongs, as the lines are 

 called there, are generally of the lightest possible construction, 

 the walls being simply mattings of woven bamboo. 



Cement floors and a good cemented drain, with an incline 

 running round the lines, are necessities whether lines are to be 

 permanent or not. It is economy to use steel frames and to put 

 up good buildings at the very commencement, otherwise, after 

 a time, there is a frequently-recurring bill for repairs. It is a good 

 thing to have the various rooms in the lines separated from each 

 other above the partitions by strong wire-netting. This pre- 

 vents any coolie who has been shamming sickness from climbing 

 over the partition and pilfering from his neighbours. Rows 

 among the coolies arise from such things as this. 



Perhaps the best system of Javanese coolie-lines is that to be 

 seen on the estates of the Eastern Sumatra Rubber Company. 

 There each family of Javanese has a little cottage with a narrow 

 strip of garden. In consequence the Javanese are very much 

 contented. They keep their houses and gardens quite tidy, 

 while in ordinary cases the services of sweepers are necessary. 

 In all cases all refuse should be deposited only in pits dug for 

 the purpose. The refuse should be buried every now and then, 

 but not too deeply, or it will be too deep for bacteria to act upon 

 it vigorously and will take years to rot away. A mistake is often 

 made in this respect. 



Coolie-lines should be well lime-washed at least once every 

 six months inside and outside. The lime-washing is a grand 

 disinfectant, and gives an opportunity for a good clearing up 



