•^75 



States, and has been kind enough to furnish me with the follow- 

 ing remarks on the soils and a most interesting table of analyses 

 of typical soils taken from different rubber districts : 



"The soils of Malaya are not specially rich in plant food 

 but their physical characters are exceptionally good, and this 

 together with the unequalled climate for plant growth constitute 

 conditions for the vigorous growth of rubber and other crops not 

 to be found elsewhere. 



Typical Soils of Malay States. 



"The soils may be roughly divided into two distinct kinds: 



" A. The flat alluvial clays or muds on the banks of 



" Peaty soils on clay usually lying a few miles from the coast. 



, " The alluvial clays or muds are in an exceedingly line state 

 ^division, about 96 per cent, passing through a mesh of 8,100 

 Per square inch, and the balance through a mesh of 3,600 per 

 square inch. 



" Although having the appearance of fine clays there is very 

 fin 1 a ! Umina Present, the bulk of the soil being composed of very 

 "neiy divided sand and insoluble silicates. When wet they are 

 tivTl^ and greasy, but on drying thev break up into compara- 

 bly tree loams, through which roots can permeate freely, so 

 ^ unless liable to flooding with salt water, they are all well 

 lie a tor the growth of para rubber, coconuts and liberian coffee. 



i? e arn °unt of organic matter in these soils varies con- 

 siderably from 8 to 35 per cent., or even more if the surface 

 con^- 1S - at a11 P eat y- Th ev are generally very rich in nitrogen 

 ^ mn S from 0.4 to 0.9 per cent, on the air-dried soil ; a soil 



0,2 P er Ce nt. being considered rich in other countries. 



ofthI^ ith re " ard to the mineral matter, which forms the ash 

 stale f ? S > the y are not so rich ; although the exceedingly fine 



^iarv tT ° f the S ° ils rendGrS a high P r T rti0n hfch 

 account hey are more or less deficient in lime, which 

 openT S ;? rthemark edlv acid character of the soils when first 

 thVb u ' t l le acidit y is neutralised to some extent by ash from 

 water i ° rest ' but ^ also gradually diminishes as the drainage 

 S ren ">ved to a lower level and the soil becomes aerated. 



Ma gnesia is present in ample quantity in most cases. 



