40H 



NEGRI SEMBILAN PLANTERS' ASSOCIATION. 



ANNUAL REPORT, 1901. 



Gentlemen, 



We, jour Committee herewith place before you our Fifth 

 Annual Report. 



Meetings. 



1. There have been two General and three Committee Meet- 

 ings. Three new Members have been elected, two of these 

 being' Chinese gentlemen who are largely interested in the cul- 

 tivation of tapioca. 



Cultivation. 



2. (a) Coffee. — At the present time prices show again a 

 downward tendency after having risen to $22.50 in December, 

 this is a great disappointment as from home advices the enhanced 

 prices appeared to be likely to be maintained and a better time 

 in store for planters, it now, however, appears that the advices 

 from Brazil were as usual inaccurate. 



There seems to be a general feeling prevalent amongst those 

 best informed on the subject that the treatment of our coffee by 

 the wet process is likely to be superseded by a dry system with- 

 out fermentation. 



Caterpillars —These as predicted in our last Annual Report 

 have not entirely disappeared, but the sharp eye now kept on 

 them w r ill probably prevent them again assuming the proportions 

 of a pest. 



(b) Coconuts. — We are glad to notice that the Government 

 have begun to enforce the Ordinance in some districts, in others 

 there still remains much to be done : we trust that the Govern- 

 ment will see that the Forest Officer has the Ordinance efficiently 

 carried out. Prices for nuts for local consumption are high, as 

 much as seven cents having to be paid now per nut in Seremban 

 (retail). Although it is well known to local planters that coco- 

 nut cultivation offers a most profitable field for investment, prac- 

 tically no extensions can be recorded : this is no doubt owing to 

 the fact that our members have already invested all their avail- 

 able capital in other products ; consequently we cannot help think- 

 ing that Government might with advantage to itself advertise at 

 home say the grant of free blocks of land for this cultivation with 

 a view to attracting new blood and capital into this State. 



(c) Para Rubber. — This appears likely to be the salvation of 

 the coffee planter. On most estates it will be found planted 

 through the coffee to which it appears to do very little damage. 

 Recently two well known Ceylon planters who are largely interest- 

 ed in Para cultivation in that island have visited this State, they 

 seemed to be very pleased with the prospects of Para in this coun- 

 try and to think that the trees here when compared with those of 

 a like agp in Ceylon showed freer growth. 



