3 



pruning, without disturbing the root. Of course, transplanting is 

 not always possible, as it depends on several conditions. The soil 

 in the nursery must be soft enough to allow the transplanter to be 

 pressed in easily, and, on the other hand, must be firm enough to 

 retain its shape when removed from the transplanter. Again, it is 

 obviously not always possible to have plants of the right age in the 

 nursery, and the nurseries must not be too far away from the field 

 to be planted. Doubtless, in planting up on a large scale, stump- 

 ing is the most practicable method. With the exception of white 

 ant, and a certain green beetle, found by Mr. ROGER PEARS, and 

 already described in the Bulletin, no serious pests have yet made 

 their appearance in this district. Some weeks since, I found a 

 small dark brown beetle feeding on the leaves, and sent a specimen 

 down to the Editor of the Bulletin. Since then I have found many 

 more of them, but in nearly all instances, it has been a case of 

 "the biter bit." The insect, in biting into the leaf or stem, has 

 caused a drop of latex to exude, which has coagulated, and held 

 it fast by the nippers. I have found as many as six of these insects 

 on a small shoot about three inches long, some alive and some dead, 

 but all stuck fast and quite unable to escape, thus clearly showing 

 one of the natural functions of the latex. 



R. W. BURGESS. 



MANGROVE SWAMPS IN THE FEDERATED 

 MALAY STATES. 



By H. Furnivall. 



Many trees in the mangrove swamps are used for firewood, 

 fishing stakes and for building houses. The wood of the Tumu 

 tree [Bruguiera Gymnorhizd) and Tengah tree (Ceriops candol- 

 leand) make the best firewood. The bark of the Tengah is used 

 for tanning, it is greatly to be regretted that so far the manufacture 

 of tannin extract from the bark had never been taken up by any 

 large firm, the only work done on these lines, is done by Chinamen 

 in a very small way. Thousands of pikuls are thrown away every 

 year. The following specimens grow in salt swamps- — ■ 



Bakau Akik, Rhizophora conjugata; 



Bakau Minvak, a variety of conjugata, not named ; 



Bakau Korap, Rhizopliora mucronata ; 



Bakau Euros, Bruguiera car yophylloides ; 



Tumu, Bruguiera gymnorhiza ; 



Langgadei, Bruguiera parviflora ; 



Tengah, Ceriops candolleana ; 



Xerei, Carapa moluccensis ; 



Api Api, Aviccnnia officinalis ; 



Berembong {Sonne rati a apetala) Perapat, Bakuta [Cerbcra 

 Qdollani) and Kadaku, the last two named grow to a height of 

 twelve feet, the leaves are similar to the Berembong leaf, only a lit- 



