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POOD-STUFFS IN MALAYA. 



By F. G. Spring, n.d.a., f.l.s. 

 {Agriculturist, F.M.8.) 

 ^r^HIS paper is written with one object and that is to endeavour to 

 stimulate interest generally in connection with the growing of 

 food-stulfs in Malaya. There are very large areas in cultivation, 

 here, but the part devoted to food supply is, in comparison, almost 

 conspicuous by its absence. The European planter does not appear 

 to have seriously considered the growing of such crops and it is 

 evident that the Eastern races have, to some extent, ceased to 

 practise what was, but a few years ago, their livelihood. It is 

 surprising how few residents take an interest, in the subject, even 

 as far as a vegetable garden is concerned and food production on 

 estates, to a minor or any extent, for one's own labour force is, 

 I believe, unknown. . The cooly is not the one to further the 

 growing of such crops. He may have his small plot of land but 

 further than that he cannot be expected to go. The smallholder, 

 particularly the padi planter, is the main support of what food 

 materials are produced in this country and it is desirable that he 

 should receive every encouragement. The larger planter has often 

 opportunities of growing quite a variety of crops which would be of 

 general benefit. Young rubber and coconut clearings, in the early 

 stages of development are suited, in some cases, for the growing of 

 food-yielding crops of short duration. I am fairly confident that a 

 new clearing can support one or perhaps more annual crops, which 

 take a matter of a few months to mature, without, to any appreciable 

 extent, injurious results to the permanent crop. The culture and 

 tilth required for the reception of a temporary crop, in many cases 

 the primary tillage of the land, would I believe, compensate for the 

 chemical constituents removed from the soil. In addition to this, 

 the refuse matei"ial will, on application to the land, improve the 

 mechanical condition of the soil which is of great importance, 

 particularly in the tropics. I do not wish it to be understood that I 

 favour the continued removal of one or a rotation of intercrops but I 

 do think that short lived catch-crops might with advantage be 

 grown, for a time, on first class land which is free, or comparatively 

 so, from timber. 



Many uncultivated pieces of land in, or adjoining estate areas 

 might be profitably utilized for the growing of food-yielding plants 

 of a more permanent nature. 



The labour required for the proper culture of such crops is 

 perhaps the most serious obstacle, for estates do not generally have a 

 superfluous stock of coolies. Annual crops of this nature require 

 more cultivation than is usual with rubber and coconut plantations. 

 A good deal of supervision, particularly during the planting and 

 harvesting seasons, is necessary. 



