THE NETHERLANDS EAST INDIES 283 



give as a reason that the trees do not suffer if lalang 

 and other pernicious grasses are kept under; indeed, 

 they go so far as to say that weeds are beneficial to 

 prevent wash in heavy rains, and useful in keeping the 

 ground moist in seasons of drought. In Ceylon and 

 the Malay Peninsula such theories are rejected, and 

 other measures, such as draining and forking, are 

 adopted to remedy the damage caused respectively by 

 superabundant rainfall and the effects of dry weather. 

 As a general rule, the somewhat dirty appearance of the 

 majority of estates in Java is due to careless manage- 

 ment or lack of funds to employ sufficient labour. 



The standard of tapping in Java is far from satis- 

 factory. It is true that this class of work is only 

 beginning, but with the example of the damage done 

 in the Malay Peninsula by careless work a few years 

 ago, it is inexcusable that the Java planters do not 

 make greater efforts to teach their coolies how to work 

 in a more efficient manner. A reason given for this 

 condition of affairs is that the labour on rubber estates 

 is seldom permanent, and that as soon as a batch of 

 men are efficient, they leave for other estates where 

 they can obtain a higher wage ; or the rice harvest 

 of their village begins, and they forsake the plantation 

 and return to their homes. There is a great deal of 

 truth in both these assertions, and for some years to 

 come they will be an obstacle to good tapping. A 

 more serious point, however, is that in view of the 

 difficulties of retaining good tappers an insufficient 

 amount of daily labour is required from them, and, 

 consequently, the cost of the work is far higher than 

 in Malay, Sumatra, or Ceylon. In fact, on several 

 estates the daily task is, approximately, one-half of 



