GEOLOGY AND MINE(:. I. REsorncEs. Java has been for so many ages under a stre.s, of volcanic action that the strata anciently deposited have been again and again disturbed; yet it appear; that the underlying rock, are for the most part granite and syenite. and on these rest sedimen tary rocks of the Tertiary period. Though the absence of the fossils of vertebrates is noticeable. the rocks containing the invertebrates are very abundant: hut the volcanic have cov ered up or disturbed the older formations in every part of the island. Coal is found in many place-. but not in quantity making it worth while to work the thin strata. The best mineral fuel. lignite, is found in Bantam. Asphalt. clay (ex cellent for bricks and earthenware). limestone, marble, manganese, sulphur, salt. and saltpetre are obtained, but are not reckoned among the sources of great wealth. Java is thus the poor est of the East Indian islands in minerals, na ture making compensation in the wealth of vege table products.
The great majority of the na tives are farmers or agricultural laborers. Rice is the chief article of food, and its production the chief industry. By gift from the last :Mo hammedan emperor, who abdicated in 1749 in fa\ or of the Dutch, and by purchase from the native princes since then, the Dutch Government now own; almost all the land. Along with the
Mohammedan gift they secured the right to re ceive one-fifth of the produce and of the labor of the peasant. This made easy the introduction in 1932 of the 'culture system.' which has since pre vailed. This consists in obligatory service on the part of the peasant. under official sup•rintendence, in the cultivation of tobaceo. coffee. sugar. indigo, tea, pepper. etc. Since 1970 this has been modi fied. and now coffee only is produced by enforced labor. About 7.n00m00 acres are under native cultivation. The lands now held by Europeans cover 2.120.594 acres: by Chinese. 471.419 aeres: and by other foreign Orientals. 32.593 acre'. The chief products for 1S99 were as Sugar. 796.321 ton-: coffee. 44.900 tons: einchona, 11.160.926 pounds: tobacco. 53.417.672 pounds: tea. 12.S41.702 pounds: indigo. 1.794.553 pounds: cocoa. 2.116.976 pounds: and pepper. 18.840.272 pounds. In 1995 there were in Java and Madura 2.643.223 buffaloes, 2,572,231 oxen and cows. and 485,567 horses.