180 AUSTRALASIA. 



these is the kapok or randu [eriodendron anfractuosum) , the fruit of which yields a 

 down utilised by the native weavers. 



The same plant is used for building purposes, butin this respect a vastly more valu- 

 able tree is the teak — Ûiejati of the Javanese, which still covers an extent of about 

 2,500 square miles. Recently, also, some of the cleared spaces have been replanted 

 with the no less valuable cinchona, first introduced from Réunion in 1852, and 

 again directly from South America in 1854. Within nine years of that date, there 

 were already 1,140,000 cinchona plants either in the nursery-grounds or the 

 forests of Java ; but the variety selected was one of the least valuable, and it had 

 even to be replaced by others of more medicinal value, notably the calimya, which 

 had been successfully introduced into the uplands of British India. In 1888, the 

 Government enclosures contained over 3,700,000 of the best varieties, growing at 

 different altitudes between 4,000 and 6,500 feet. By careful selection and grafting, 

 plants have been obtained whose bark yields from 11 to 13 per cent, of quinine. 



Java lacks a sufficient number of domestic animals for agricultural operations. 

 In the western province of Bantam, the proportion of horses, oxen, and buffaloes is 

 only 94 per thousand of the population, but this proportion increases somewhat 

 steadily eastwards until, in the extreme east, it rises to 830 per thousand. But 

 everywhere the live stock has diminished during the second half of the present 

 century, while the population has rapidly increased. The Javanese horses of 

 Arab stock have diminished in size, but not in mettle and staying power. The 

 Cheribon trotters and the Kedoc cart-horses are highly spoken of, although none 

 can compare with the Sumatran ponies in form or vigour. 



The produce of the fisheries, which emplo}" about fifty thousand hands, is all 

 required for the local consumption, except the sea- slugs and sharks' fins exported 

 to China. Java also yields the very finest quality of edible birds' nests, also des- 

 tined for the Chinese market. 



To the traditional industries, such as weaving, dyeing, krisses, and other arms 

 for which the Javanese have always been famous, the manufacture of heavy 

 machinery has recently been added for the sugar refineries, the harbour works 

 and railways. An ancient monopoly of the Jokjokarta regency are the gongs 

 and musical instruments for the Gamelangs, or native bands, bells, cymbals, drums, 

 and bars of copper or bamboo which the players strike with a hammer to accompany 

 the theatrical representations and native ballets. The most skilled craftsmen are the 

 Chinese, who are usually employed, especially by Europeans, wherever taste and 

 execution are objects of consideration. 



The carriage roads are well planned and kept in excellent repair, and are 

 often supplied with footpaths and supplementary avenues for heavy traffic, 

 especially between the chief towns. The main artery is the great military route, 

 780 miles long, running from Anjer, in the extreme west, to Banjuwangi, in the 

 extreme east, and constructed by the terrible Daendels, still remembered by the 

 natives as the " Master of the Great Thunder." The torrents and even rivers 

 are crossed by ingeniously planned bamboo bridges, which, despite their frail 

 appearance, are extremely solid works. The first railway, connecting Batavia 



