Changes in the Performance of the Homegardens in West Java for Twenty Years. (2). Changes in the Utilization of Cultivated Plants in the Homegardens.

All the useful plant species in five homegardens each with and without a fishpond in Selajambe Village, West Java, were surveyed in the dry season of 1999, and the results obtained were compared with those obtained in 1980. Among the 169 species, 100 and 126 species accounted for the total number of useful plants observed in the two surveys of 1980 and 1999, respectively. In 1999, the largest number of plant species consisted of ornamental plants, followed by fruit trees, vegetables, plants for miscellaneous uses, and medicinal plants. The number of starchy crops, spice plants, and industrial plants accounted for less than 10 species. Irrespective of years, the major plants were fruit trees and ornamental plants, in terms of species. The number of ornamental and vegetable plant species was larger in 1999 than in 1980, especially for ornamental plants. On the other hand, the number of starchy crops and industrial plant species markedly decreased compared to 1980, particularly for industrial plants. Small differences in the number of spice, medicinal and other plant species were observed between both surveys. The number of fruit trees grown in the homegardens was large throughout the gardens. The total number of plants grown in homegardens with and without a fishpond was 221.2 and 161.2, respectively, although large differences were observed among the homegardens. Mean planting density based on the number of plants per square meter was 1.042 in the homegardens with a fishpond, while 0.733 in those without a pond. Based on these observations, it was considered that the utilization of useful plants except for fruit trees and plants for miscellaneous uses, in terms of species, had largely changed in the past 20 years, especially in the case of vegetables, industrial and ornamental plants, regardless of the presence of a fishpond.