76 RUBBER PLANTING IN CEYLON 



gutta appreciably and also allows of certain admixtures that are sup- 

 posed to be suited to some grades. For example, in some of the lower 

 grades a modicum of Pontianak is often introduced. All the gutta that 

 I saw was said to have come from Borneo in small lots, though my 

 informants told me that they received shipments occasionally from the 

 Philippines. 



I had heard so much of Johore and its young and athletic sultan 

 that I had a desire to see it at close range. I was, therefore, much grati- 

 fied by an invitation from the chief of the agricultural bureau there, 

 Mcr. F. H. M. Staples, to pay him a visit. I knew that I should miss 

 the sultan, as rumor had it that he had taken $200,000 in gold and 

 started for Europe for a vacation from the cares of state. A brief 

 rickshaw ride from the hotel took me to the Johore and Kranji railroad, 

 where in the "first class waiting shed," as the sign on the wall had it, 

 I waited for my train. When it appeared I got aboard and again waited. 

 After a time the dusky hued master came out and rang a big dinner 

 bell most energetically, which was the signal to start. Still we waited 

 and waited, but finally reluctantly pulled out. The ride across the 

 island is short and pleasant, and is through many plantations and some 

 jungle, and terminates at a ferry where a steamer transfers the passengers 

 to the domain of the sultan. Mr. Staples was awaiting me and was 

 good enough to put me up at the Johore Club, and I had tiffin with 

 him at the sultan's hotel. In the afternoon we drove out to the rubber 

 plantation, which is about three miles from the town, and which now 

 consists of some fifty acres of Ficns elastica quincunxed with Para. 

 As all the manure from the dairy farm is to be used on this plantation, 

 the rubber should come on very rapidly. In addition to what is already 

 planted, large clearings are being made, corn being first planted with 

 the rubber for shade. On my return I had a look at the native village, 

 went again over to the hotel and club, where I met the postmaster gen- 

 eral, the chief electrician, and the Datto Abul Rahmin, admired some 

 fine pictures of the sultan, and returned to Singapore. 



Before I knew it I was facing the new year, and as New Year's 

 day came on Friday, the rest of the week was taken by all as a period 

 of rest. This suited me physically, for I was exceedingly languorous, 

 but not mentally, as I longed to be up and doing. I gave up to the 

 climate, however, and idled. Indeed, the wish to remain quiet grew on 

 me to such an extent that had there been then more days of it I think 

 I should have stayed in Singapore. My bedroom boy, Poo Kee, a short, 

 chunky, good humored Chinaman, made everything as easy as possible 



