28 3 



however, the most suitable soil is an arenaceous clay and the best 

 climate one which presents distinct alternations of sunshine and 

 shower. 



The crop will, under ordinary conditions, be ready for harvesting 

 in the cold weather of the third year from planting it out. On crop- 

 ping the grass it is committed to the still with as little delay as 

 possible. The usual method adopted with the grass is aqueous distilla- 

 tion in copper stills. In plantation-grown grass at least two crops 

 can be harvested in the season, so that, calculating on an average on 

 a bundle of the grass (of six inches diameter) from each of the 5,000 

 clumps which may safely be counted upon to attain to maturity out of 

 the 7,260 planted out, the yield of an acre may be estimated at 10,000 

 bundles. Fifty such bundles yield a quart (40 fluid ounces) of the oil, 

 so that the 10,000 bundles would yield 200 quarts or 8,000 ounces. 

 Valued at 8d. per ounce, which is the current average selling price of 

 the oil in the London market, the produce of an acre would realise 

 ^269-13-4. Even should the crop cost ^66-13-4 to raise, tend, 

 harvest, distil and transport the oil to market, a profit of £100 per 

 acre would be obtainable from it from and after the cold weather of 

 the third year of its establishment.— Times of Malaya. 



OPENING OF THE KRIAN IRRIGATION 



CANAL. 



The opening of the Krian irrigation canal took place on August 

 16, 1906. The ceremony was performed by the" Resident of Perak, 

 Mr. E. W. Birch. A large and influential gathering of Europeans 

 and Malays attended, and the proceedings commenced with a speech 

 from Mr. Birch who spoke as follows : — 



Ladies and Gentlemen, — It must be a source of the liveliest satis- 

 faction to the Perak P. W. D. to see to-day the accomplishment of a 

 work that has been on the tapis for seventeen years. It cannot be 

 said of this work that it was hastily undertaken and too quickly carried 

 through. It can be said of it that it was twice laid to rest and once 

 greatly delayed. It can be said of it that it has been considered and 

 advised upon by numerous Engineers, and that it has been the object 

 of much criticism and scepticism. It can be said of it that outside 

 advice has been often obtained, with the result that the advice of the 

 Perak P. W. D. has been confirmed and. largely adopted. It is an 

 instance of how delay in carrying out a scheme in a new and progres- 

 sive country has entailed greatly increased cost by reason of the 

 simple axiom that continued progress means a continued rise in the 

 price of labour and material. But the heat of discussion may well be 

 now forgotten, and the difficulties encountered may well be looked 

 back upon with pride. Krian was in urgent need of help from 

 Government. Its inhabitants often suffered from water famine and 

 epidemic disease. The annual rainfall did not greatly vary, but the 

 rain fell fitfully, and padi planters could not make it their permanent 

 home, for their crops not infrequently failed, and their supply of 

 drinking water ceased at certain seasons. In 1889 Mr. Trump made 

 a preliminary report. In 1891 Sir Frederick Dickson, whose knowledge 



