MALAYAN RUBBER AND COCONUT SOILS. 

 By M. BARROWCLIFF. 



First Assistant Chemist, Department of Agriculture, 

 Federated Malay States. 



FOR the past eighteen months the writer has been 

 engaged solely in the 'examination of the soils supporting 

 rubber, coconuts and rice in the Federated Malay States. 

 Estates have been visited in nearly every district in the 

 country, and an endeavour has been made to obtain an 

 insight into the relationship between the soil's productive- 

 ness and its mechanical and chemical composition. 



The subject is one of great importance to agricultural 

 interests : the land has no previous cultivation history, 

 and has for the most part been claimed from the original 

 jungle only within the last few years. The selections 

 made during the "boom" may be likened to a lottery 

 which is only now beginning to reveal its prizes and its 

 blanks; for, in many instances, it is apparent that the 

 yields likely to be obtained will fall far short of the 

 anticipated. 



The best rubber land is at least twice as good as the 

 average indifferent, and in the case of coconuts three 

 times or more as good; from which figures some idea 

 may be gathered of what significance to the investor the 

 choice of land is. 



There is, however, no doubt that many of the less 

 suitable soils, both rubber and coconut, are open to vast 

 improvement under proper treatment; but it is essential 

 that this should be started whilst the plantation is young, 

 so that an early recognition of the facts is essential. 



In the present paper is given an account of the con- 

 clusions the writer has reached on the points mentioned 

 above, and a few observations on the selection of land. 

 Finality is not claimed, as new points of view are con- 

 tinually presenting themselves; but it is hoped that these 



