45 



to an English express in speed, and as I had .the good 

 fortune to be conducted by two local planters, the points 

 I gleaned shall be put on record. A long journey lay 

 before us from Penang through Province Wellesley, 

 Perak, and Selangor on to Kuala Lumpur. We left the 

 first place at 6.45 a.m., and arrived at the latter at 

 6.40 p.m.; considering that a distance of nearly 250 

 miles was covered in that time, there was nothing to 

 grumble at for tropical railway travelling. 



Wellesley Province. 



The country through which the train passed immediately 

 it left Prai railway station was comparatively flat, only 

 one range of hills on the left being visible to the traveller. 

 A large number of sugar estates and tapioca lands were 

 interplanted with Para rubber, a space of two or three 

 feet only being allowed around the young rubber sap- 

 lings for free root growth and light. The nature of the 

 soil was indicated by the fact that estates planted with 

 sugar have been interplanted with Para, and after the 

 sugar crop has been harvested a crop of tapioca has been 

 taken off the same land. Most of the small estates are 

 owned by Chinese, and appear to be in a poor condition. 

 In sharp contrast with these is the fine plantation, 

 managed by the Hon. Mr. John Turner, known as Cale- 

 donia Estate. A large number of the tre^s are only 

 about two years old, and show healthy growth; other 

 parts appear to be about eight years or older, and planted 

 at different distances. One block, planted 10 by 10 feet 

 gave no less than 300 lb. of rubber per acre last year, 

 and will, in all probability, yield at the same rate for 

 some time to come; the trees on that section were, how- 

 ever, much smaller and thinner-skinned than those on 

 the adjacent block, planted 20 by 20 feet. 



Perak State. 



This state, the capital of which is Taiping, is nearly 

 the largest in Malay, and though known better in Lon- 

 don for its sugar and tea, is one of the coming centres 

 for rubber cultivation. It is estimated that about 34,000 

 acres are planted with Para rubber in this State alone, its 

 fine stretches of level and well-planted land should yield 

 paying quantities of rubber three years hence. Chinese and 



