H 
Central America Rubber ( Castilloa elastica). About 150 seed- 
lings of Castilloa from Ceylon seeds have been raised. It appears 
doubtful, however, whether the Ceylon trees are Castilloa elastica 
(true) or only an inferior variety, Castilloa Markhatniana. The 
results of Ceylon trees being far below South American returns. 
Getah Percha ( Dichopsis polyantha ). A variety of getah percha 
which grows from near the foot of Larut hill to 3,000 feet. A 
mountain form which may prove valuable for planting on high 
land. None, however, were observed in fruit, and it is probable 
that with this tree, as with many indigenous trees, a fruiting season 
only occurs every few years. Seedlings are abundant, but the 
smallest seem two years old. 
ON THE DISTRIBUTION OF (FREE) MEALS TO 
COOLIES ON THE ESTATES AND IRRIGA- 
TION WORKS, KRIAN. 
By Mr. H. A. Hayiland. 
CHINESE. 
SiNKEHS — On all Chinese estates, where sinkehs are employed 
who live together in kongsi houses, there is a public cooking place, 
presided over by special cooks, for preparing food for these men. 
The rice is provided for them at fixed rates and given to them 
cooked. Vegetables, fish, etc., they must provide for themselves. 
On holidays (Chinese) the estate provides them with pork, free. 
The price of the rice is, 1 believe, deducted from their monthly 
wages : no tickets are issued for it. Their first meal is before 
they go out to work, at 6. a.m. ; their second meal at about 1 1 a.m. ; 
the third meal about 5 p.m. after their work is over. Their 
working hours are from 6 a.m. to 1 1 a.m., from 1 p.m. to 5 p m. 
LAUKEHS cook for themselves, individually, or join in a kongsi 
and employ a cook ; they live in what are called “ rum ah kechil ” 
and work their own hours, their earnings depending upon their 
own exertions. 
INDIANS. 
Statute Immigrants are provided with daily (rice) tickets 
varying in value from 8 to 10 cents each. These tickets are given 
them in order to insure that they have money to buy food, other- 
wise an improvident man might spend his month’s wages in a few 
days and have nothing left to carry him on in food until he receives 
his next wages. 1 hese tickets are collected in the “kedei,” and 
the value of them deducted from the wages due to the man at the 
end of the month. It may happen that a man does no work for a 
month, either from indisposition or indolence ; he has his rice ticket 
given to him, however, every day ; but, at the end of the month, 
there will be to his debit a sum of $3 (z>., 10 cents a day for 30 
days) and nothing to his credit for work done. 
