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and healthy. I trust therefore that with more attention and 

 better cultivation being given to the trees the disease may gradu- 

 ally disappear. With this object in view I have arranged for 

 some experiments to be carried out. 



General Cultivation. — Very marked progress has been 

 made throughout the States generally in the condition of the 

 native holdings, which has only come about after considerable 

 up-hill work, as those who have had any experience of the usual 

 Malay habits will readily recognise. It must be remembered 

 that the powers that are given me under the Coconut Enactment 

 do not really help me very much in this respect. My Sub- 

 Inspectors have done their utmost by encouragement and per- 

 suasive measures towards bringing about this improvement and 

 there is no doubt that the influence of the Penghulus of the 

 districts has also had a very beneficial effect. While I am 

 therefore indebted to many of them for the interest they have 

 taken and the assistance, they have afforded me, there are other 

 Penghulus — generally having neglected plantations of their own 

 — who are very indifferent and seem to stand out against any 

 reform. There is no doubt that, owing to the general improve- 

 ment, better crops have been obtained from the trees, and it is 

 gratifying to me to be able to state that several owners now seem to 

 take a keen interest in their holdings. From this I am inclined 

 to infer that they are at least beginning to understand the ad- 

 vantage gained by more assiduous cultivation. On my last visit 

 to Kuala Pilah the Sub-Inspector of Coconuts in that district 

 informed me that since the natives have given more care and 

 attention to their kampongs and taken a greater interest in them 

 than formerly, he did not require to use the same pressure to enforce 

 them starting to work on their padi lands in good time to assure 

 the chances of a fair crop as was previously the case ; and that 

 they are not so callous and indifferent as formerly. 



Advantage is now being taken by many owners to plant up 

 the vacant places so often seen in their kampongs, mostly where 

 the trees have either died from old age or been destroyed. To 

 guard against a recurrence of this, many of them have been 

 induced to supply young plants where the coconuts are very old 

 or have given up bearing. 



Market. — The price of coconuts has been very well main- 

 tained throughout the year. In districts where the trees are 

 plentiful, in good bearing, and over a large acreage, the price has 

 hardly ever fallen below 2 cents and is more often 3 to 4 cents. 

 The lowest of these figures gives quite a good return on the outlay. 

 Again, in districts where there are fewer plantations or the plan- 

 tations are situated within easy distance of the larger towns, the 

 nuts generally fetch from 5 to 6 cents on an average : while in 

 places where the cultivation is small they can be sold at from 7 

 to 10 cents a piece, and in certain seasons even higher prices 



