Notes on a Trip to Surinam. 151 
This is reflected in the prices of estates. Three estates were bought five years 
ago for eight thousand dollars by one gentleman I met. To-day they are 
worth atleast eighty thousand. On Wederzorg [ saw some rubber ten years 
old grown under “ The Natural Conditions Theory,” that is, treated, as far 
as is possible on a plantation, as wild growths and left to themselves without 
special attention to shade or dramage. They presented a sharp contrast to 
the splendid growth of trees several years younger which were flourishing 
in the Gardens at Paramaribo and elsewhere. A sample of rubber shown me, 
however, seemed. of excellent quality, and doubtless if, like nature, capital 
was content to work slowly, the natural conditions method of rubber growing 
would be quite satisfactory. Capital will, however, always be in a hurry for 
dividends and methods must compromise with nature in view of that fact. 
From Wederzorg two hours in the launch up the Commewyne River brought 
us to Slootwyk, the Government Experimental Estate. Here a large area is 
under rubber with bananas for shade plants. The rubber here runs about 
twelve feet high at one year old. One field without shade but with a cover 
crop of Mucunas sp. is much less forward in growth than neighbouring areas 
under shade, still the trees look strong and healthy. Dr. Cramer does not 
recommend terminal pruning, instead of nipping back he strips the terminal 
shoot of leaves. His experience for several years has proved this method 
superior. I understand that our Board of Agriculture now recommends this 
method. 
A visit to the Botanic Gardens with Dr. Criimer was full of interest. Speciay 
attention has been paid to bananas and cassava, cover crops for rubber and 
rubber itself. Over forty named varieties of each of the first two mentioned 
were shown me. In another section fine specimens of eight-year old Hevea 
brasiliensis were examined. Castilloa and Ficus spp. and Funtumia (Kechyia) 
are represented and Hevea Confusa. It was very interesting and suggestive to 
hear from Dr. Criimer that experiments in tapping Castilloa had proved the 
absence of wound response. As Castilloa is a well-established commercial rubber 
producer in the countries surrounding the Caribbean Sea this fact is very sug- 
gestive in view of the similar fact in experiments with Sapium spp. here. In 
the gardens, Javanese labour is largely employed. ‘ They are born gardeners,” 
says the Director. Each has a plot of land given him and after hours he may be 
seen labouring on it till nightfall. Onthe other hand he has the true Oriental 
aptitude for gambling which hinders him from acquiring property of his own. 
Attempts at a land settlement scheme are afoot, but probably the man of Java 
will do better with land drained and rented to him with an allowance for main- 
tenance while he is bringing it into cultivation. They are said to care for their 
children with great solicitude and their domestic life seems exemplary in its 
peace and mutual good-will. In physiognomy they remind one somewhat 
of our Buck in the high cheek bones and upward slant of the eyes, but in their 
vivacity of expression. they are more like the Japanese. In physique they 
are less muscular than the Guiana Indians but in many cases the bony- frame- 
s9pAge 
It will be interesting as in the case of our British East Indians to mark the 
