THE ALCOHOL INDUSTRY. PART I. 139 



or superintend the gathering of the tuba, this work is turned over to 

 laborers, to each of whom are apportioned about 700 to 1,000 producing 

 plants, or two men to about 1 hectare of nipa swamp. These men receive 

 one-half of the tuba, the owner of the nipal taking the other half. The 

 yield of tuba from this area, if well managed, will average 480 liters per 

 day for six months of the year. Therefore, the owner of the swamp and 

 the laborers receive an equal income, which is one-half the value of 86,000 

 liters of sap. The owner, therefore, secures about 129 pesos per hectare 

 per annum and the two laborers receive the same amount, depending 

 upon the price of the tuba. 



In one locality I am informed that it is customary for the best laborers to 

 deliver 250 tinajas, or 9^000 liters of sap at the distillery each week, for which 

 17.50 pesos are paid, at the rate of 7 pesos per 100 tinajas. For a period of 

 one-half year such a laborer would earn 455 pesos, but I believe this rate is kept 

 up for only about three months. This places the yearly earnings of the excep- 

 tional man at about 230 pesos. The gathering of the tuba from the flowing 

 plants is not the only work, for, throughout the season, additional plants must 

 continually be treated to bring them into production. 



These estimates are subject to variations due to fluctuations in the 

 price of tuba and also to various standards existing in different nipa dis- 

 tricts and to different methods practiced by the owners. It- is also to be 

 remembered that on the estates where the tuba season is six months in 

 duration the work of looking after the plants, building waterways, and 

 general care of the estate goes on throughout the year and the tuba 

 gatherer is required to carry on these duties even though his income has 

 ceased through the nonproducing of the grove. Moreover, on some es- 

 tates he is required to buy, or is charged with the earthen jars, tinajas, 

 used for transporting the tuba and the hollow bamboo joints employed 

 for the collection. This latter item is by no means small, since over 

 700 receptacles of this character are required per hectare, and the loss 

 through breakage and decay is a factor to be considered. Other estates 

 and distilleries furnish the tuba gatherers with boats, earthen jars, and 

 bamboo joints, hire laborers to build and repair the waterways and canals, 

 and do not make a charge against the tuba gatherers for these items. 



In some eases, in order to hold the workmen on the nipales through, the months 

 when there is no tuba to be gathered and the worker's income has ceased, it is 

 customary to allot to each family a plot of ground upon which they may grow 

 products, principally bacao, a good firewood, which are bought by the distillery. 

 Medical attendance, medicines, and cedulas (poll tax 2 pesos) are also furnished 

 the workmen. They, in return, are required to care for the nipales, clear the 

 land, and build waterways during the slack season. 



In view of the fact that the work of the tuba gatherer is light and 

 well suited to the native temperament in so much as it is a life on the 

 water in his canoe with the hours of labor more or less regulated to suit 



