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among rubber trees and even to clear land containing mature 

 coconuts for the purpose of planting rubber. These conditions 

 emphasized the importance of the coconut inspection work as the 

 coconut refuse, if left lying about, would have provided an 

 opportunity for a rapid increase in the number of the red beetles. 

 This was avoided by regularly insisting on the destruction by 

 burning or burial of the trees cut out. During 1915 a few serious 

 local outbreaks of black beetles, particularly at Kuantan and 

 Seremban, called for special attention. No serious outbreaks were 

 recorded in 1916. At the pi-esent time the Seremban trees have 

 been free of beetles for over a year and have much improved in 

 appearance. 



Pink disease — In contrast to the routine treatment of coconut 

 beetles that of this disease had to be commenced at the very 

 beginning. The disease was practically unknown to small ownei-s 

 throughout the country and was of comparatively recent occurrence ; 

 moreover, it is not one which frequently i-esults in the death of 

 a tree : for these reasons its importance was not generally I'ecognized 

 by Asiatic owners, while at the same time the subordinate inspecting 

 staff, of whom the majority had only worked on coconuts and the 

 remainder were newly appointed, were not acquainted with its 

 various manifestations. It was decided, therefore, to allow a period 

 of twelve months to elapse before taking legal action to insist on its 

 control. During this period the subordinate staff were taught the 

 symptoms and treatment, small holdings were regularly visited and 

 their owners were shown how to recognize the disease and what 

 must be done to control it. • 



The actual method of treatment recommended was to cut 

 off the diseased branches well below the last signs of infection 

 and to burn the diseased portions immediately. Smooth cut surfaces 

 subsequently treated with tar were required. Owing to the care 

 necessary when treating this disease with tar, as is done on the 

 majority of estates, it was not considered a suitable method to 

 recommend for use in the kampongs. 



At the beginning of 1915 it was thought that a sufficient period 

 of education had elapsed, and the measures previously recommended 

 for treatment of this disease were subsequently insisted on by law. 

 The routine inspection work once commenced was carried on steadily 

 throughout 1915 and a large numbe* of cases were taken in Court. 

 Owners were, on the whole, however, very slow in recognizing that it 

 was to their interest to carry out the instructions given and though 

 a considerable number of fines were inflicted there did not appear to 

 be much improvement in the way in which the work required was 

 actually done. Throughout 1916 the regular treatment of this 

 disease has been insisted upon, and, though an improvement is 

 noticeable in certain districts the disease has undoubtedly spread, 

 and in other neighbourhoods there is practically no improvement in 



