CORRESPONDENCE AND REPORT ON A BEETLE 

 PEST ON THE GAPIS COFFEE ESTATE 



Dear Mr. Birch, 



Eastern and Oriental Hotel, 



Penang, January 1897. 



Regarding ravages of beetles on coffee at Gapis which we 

 discussed at our meeting tlae other day. It is very certain that 

 if we do not get at the root of tlie pest on Gapis there is the 

 greatest danger that the beetles may spread to other estates and 

 prove at the least a very great discouragement to the extension 

 of coffee planting. 



Having found the beetles were feeding on " dadap" we des- 

 troyed all our " dadap " hedges, but there is a Malay garden in 

 jungle alongside of and near the junction of " Lady Weld's" 

 with the main road which is evidently one of the breeding 

 grounds of the pest. The whole of the surroundings require to 

 be carefully examined (with the view of getting at the bottom of 

 the mischief) and the Malay " kampongs " in particular. 



The Chinese should be made to keep their burying ground 

 (situated close to Lady Weld's road) in better order, at present 

 it is all in " lalang " and jungle. 



I am advising Sir Graeme having wi-itten you. 



Yours very truly, 



{Signed) D. Mackay. 

 E. W. Birch, Esq., 



Secretary to Government, Taiping. 



{Miscellaneous 427 97.) 

 British Resident, 



Perhaps you will speak with the Resident -General about 

 this to-morrow. This beetle pest has cost the owners of the 

 Gapis estate at least <£ 1,000, and is a matter which will 

 seriously affect the future of coft'ee in Perak. Sir Graeme 

 Elphinstone has collected myriads of these beetles, and can 

 give a good deal of information. 



22nd January, 1897. {Signed) E. W. Birch. 



