Vol. XI. No. 278. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



411 



FEDERATED MALAY STATES: REPORT OF 

 THE DIRECTOR OF AGRICULTURE FOR THE 

 YEAR 1911. 



After the commencement of this report it is stated that 

 the headway made with rubber during the year under review 

 lias been characterized b)' steady and quiet development, so 

 that progress of the best kind has been made, from an agri- 

 cultural aspect. Although the prices for rubber were not 

 very steady, the tendency is thought to be toward a more 

 settled state of the market; in any case, they have been 

 higher than was estimated by the authorities at the com- 

 mencement of the year. Interesting details are given of the 

 cost of production of rubber in the difTerent States; this was 

 highest in Selaugor and lowest in Perak. It is considered 

 that the cost of this production on a good estate should 

 not exceed Is. 6(7. per lb. During 1911 the land opened 

 for rubber reached an area of as much as 107,200 acres, 

 which is more than double that in 1910, this being again 

 liigher than in any previous year. The amount of rubber 

 produced by the Federated Malay States in 1911 was 

 -21,809,617 tt)., as compared with 12,.563,220 lb. in 1910. 

 The productive acreage at the end of the year was 10.5,63.'5, 

 so that the approximate yield per acre of rubber appears to 

 have bren 200 ftj. The total production of rubber in Malaya 

 .in 1911 is given as 11,118 tons. 



In a part of the report dealing with more general 

 matters, it is stated that the Department of Agriculture is 

 continuing to experiment with a large variety of cover crops, 

 particularly leguminous plants. The trials should prove 

 ultimately to be of the greatest importance. Advice is given 

 to the effect that more thorough cultivation is required for 

 rubber trees, and that the conditions would be greatly 

 improved by dressings of lime for the soil. More attention is 

 al.so needed in regard to careful pruning. It is tliought that 

 there is a general improvement in the tapping of the trees. 

 Twenty cuts to the inch is stated as a good average, and it is 



■ recommended that wounds made in tapping should be 

 treated with coal tar. Much useful information follows 

 regarding certain matters connected with the manufacture of 



■ rubber. 



The next section deals with insect pests of rubber. These 

 include white ants {Temies gestroi), a minute beetle {Xyh- 

 'lorus parvulus), liorers including another species of Xyle- 

 fxirus and Platypus, sp., a cricket (BraeliytrypfH tic/intinns), 

 a beetle closely allied to Xylotrupes, the coconut beetle 

 {Oryctes rhinoceros) in a very few instances, and Saissetin 

 nigra [Lecanium nigrum]. 



The root diseases of Para rubber are attended to at 



■some length, and a useful summary is given of work carried 



■out mainly by Mr. C. K. Bancroft, then Assistant Mycologist 



to the Department. The information regarding rubber con- 



■ --eludes with a short account of Malayan interests in connexion 

 •■*ith the International Rubber Exhibition last held in 

 .liOndon. 



An estimate is given which places the total area under 

 ^coco-nuts in the Federated Malay States at about 142,774 

 acres — an increase of 12,430 acres over that in 1910. 



A steady increase of this important crop is reported, and tho 

 Inspector of Coco-nuts estimates that on an average of forty 

 nuts per tree, there could be produced about 65,.500 tons of 

 copra. The exports of this product from the four States 

 during 1911 was about 8,000 tons; in addition a large 

 production was taken up locally by the Federal Oil Mills 

 at Kuala Selangor. As in the case of rubber, advice is given 

 to the effect chat much more care is necessary in regard to 

 coconut cultivation in the Federated Malay States. The 

 diseases of the latter plant investigated by Mr. Bancroft during 

 the year have included a leaf disease caused by Pi-sfaluzzi'i, 

 polmariiiii, a so called liud rot of the coco-nut palm, and 

 a sooty mould {.Ueliola palmarnm). The bud rot of this 

 palm that occurs in India has not been recorded in Malaya. 

 Of the important native crop — rice — there were in the four 

 States more than 100,000 acres during 1911 12, and the yield 

 of padi was 3 313,437 bushels. Of other crops, the area of 

 coffee had doubled by the end of the year, being 1 1,000 acres. 

 All the sugar-cane raised in tlie Federated Malay States is 

 grown as i catch crop under rubber; the use of sugar-cane in 

 this way, is, however, being abandoned gradually, and this is 

 indicated by the fact that the total area under sugar in Malaya 

 fell during the year from 9,075 to 6,6-!)7 acres. 



Space dees not permit the description of the interesting 

 work that is being carried out in the Experimental Planta- 

 tions; reference is made to the original for an account of this. 

 In a general way in the Keport it is stated that the relations 

 between this Department of Agriculture and planters continue 

 to be excellent; though there is still some need for a more 

 complete recognition of the extent to which the Department 

 is equipped for the a.-isistance of agriculturists. On account 

 of the prosperous and well-established state of the Para rubber 

 and coco-nut industries in ilalaya, it is not likely that new 

 cultivations will be taken up to any great extent. Po.s.sibili- 

 ties are nevertheless considered to exist regarding Japanese 

 camphor, the West African oil palm (Elaeis guineensis), 

 sisal and Manila hemp. 



There are appended to the report statistical tables 

 regarding agricultural matters in the Federated Malay States 

 and Malaya which contain much information in a form 

 useful for reference. 



The Last Cotton Crop in St. Vincent.— A note 



based on information received recently from the Agricultural 

 Superintendent concerning the last cotton crop of St. Vincent 

 appeared in the last number but one of the Agrirultural 

 Neys. The details show further that bonuses of .50 per cent. 

 and 100 per cent, have been paid by the St. Vincent Govern- 

 ment Central Cotton Ginnery to the small growers who sold 

 their seed-cotton to the ginnery last season, on the profit- 

 sharing scheme. The first payments were made at the rate 

 of 6|c. per lb. for 1st grade Sea Island seed-cotton and 2o. 

 per ft), for Ist grade Marie Galante. With the bonuses now 

 distributed, these payments make the disbursements pec 

 pound reach 9§c. for good Sea Island seed- cotton and 4c. for 

 Marie Galante. The amount paid on account by the ginnery 

 for cotton was £4,770. This, with £2,760 paid in bonuses, 

 makes the total payments to all small growers £7, -530. 



As was stated in the issue of the Agri( ultwral News. 

 mentioned the total purchase of seed-cotton was .506,932 lb.» 

 comprising 353,48-5 lb. of Sea Island and 153,447 lb. of 

 Marie Galante. 



It is pointed out by the Agricultural Superintendent 

 that these figures form some indication of the rapid progress 

 that is being made in the cotton-growing industry by tha 

 peasantry in St. Vincent. All this does not include iha 

 estate work of the ginnery. 



