THE MALAY PENINSULA 173 



140,000 acres for coconuts. It is reasonable to suppose 

 that a large proportion of this alienated land will be 

 planted in the course of the next few years, in view of 

 the fact that it represents a considerable capital expen- 

 diture for premium paid, annual rent, and survey fees, 

 already disbursed. 



The number of small holdings of under i acre 

 belonging to Chinese settlers and Malays is a remark- 

 able feature. They amount to many thousands, but in 

 the aggregate do not comprise 5 per cent, of the total 

 rubber acreage. 



In addition to the land occupied in the Federated 

 Malay States for agricultural purposes, there remains in 

 Johore, Kedah, Kelantan, and Trengganu, a very large 

 area suitable for rubber cultivation. The extent of this 

 acreage cannot be gauged with any proper degree of 

 accuracy, as the lands in question have not been sur- 

 veyed ; but it embraces several million acres, and of 

 this probably not less than 1 5 per cent, will be available 

 for plantation purposes. In Johore the percentage is 

 certainly higher than 15 per cent. In point of fact, the 

 question of suitable land will not check extensions for 

 many years to come, especially in the case of established 

 estates with reserves of forest lands, for with the exist- 

 ing organization the cost of additional development 

 will be comparatively low. The only real checks to 

 future extension will arise from a further fall in the 

 value of rubber, a marked increase in the wage rate 

 of coolies, or a shortage of labour. It is possible that 

 one or all of these circumstances may occur. 



Conditions for acquiring land for agricultural pur- 

 poses differ in the various States and in the Straits 



