THE MALAY PENINSULA. 285 



The quantities are not available. Most of the imports of timber 

 consist of teak from Siam. Mangrove firewood, charcoal and 

 Dipterocarp and Sapotaceous timber come from the Dutch East 

 Indies, Exports are mainly re-exports of rough-hewn timber 

 brought into the country for conversion at the Singapore saw- 

 mills. Generally, the imports are increasing and the exports 

 decreasing, pointing to increasing consumption in the peninsula. 

 The trade in other forest produce is confined to canes, gutta- 

 percha, dammar and mangrove bark, the bulk of which is imported 

 from overseas and re-exported. 



11. Summary and Outlook. 



As the quantities of imports and exports cannot be given, the 

 summary is reduced to the following : — 



Cubic feet. 



The Utilization is equal to . . . 275,000,000 



The Net Increment is estimated at . . 188,000,000 



The annual Deficit is equal to . . 87,000,000 



In this statement the increment refers only to the mercliantable 

 forests of the present time ; the total increment of all forests is 

 considerably greater. The local authorities consider, however, 

 that, owing to the continual increase in consumption, the total 

 requirements will soon overtake the total increment, unless the 

 systematic management of the forests is considerably improved. 

 The matters which require more immediate attention are : 



(1) The declaration of a sufficient area as permanent State 



forests. 



(2) Restriction in alienating forest lands for other purposes. 



(Fortunately the limit has already been reached as far as 

 rubber planting is concerned, an industry which has been 

 overdone.) 



(3) Steps should be taken to prevent the terrible destruction of 



timber and firewood practised by planters. 



(4) Development of means of communication outside the limits 



of the present merchantable forests, so as to increase the 

 area of merchantable forests. 



(5) Introduction into the market of a larger number of species 



than has been the case in the past. 



