2 



nature is cheaper than the manufactured superphosphate and the acid 

 in the soil of the superacid lands will convert the phosphate into super- 

 phosphate and by so doing the soil will more rapidly lose its acid and 

 become neutralized and the available plant food in the soil greatly in- 

 creased. 



The costs of such an application of raw phosphate will be deter- 

 mined by experimenting with different quantities per acre to discover 

 the smallest amount necessary to render the soil favourable to root 

 growth of rubber. 



In certain cases the lack of vigour in the growth of young rubber on 

 acid soils has been attributed to dampness of soil, fungi or other diseases 

 of the roots and it will be well if in cases where there is reason to sus- 

 pect that the chemical condition of the soil is the cause of the laek 

 of progress of rubber plants a portion of the field be treated to reduce 

 the acidity. 



On some of the super acid soils a litmus paper pressed against a 

 handful of the damp soil gives in a short space of tima, some few 

 minutes, a marked acid reaction i. e. is changed to a pink colour. This 

 may be used as a rough test of the relative amount of acidity in the 

 soil. 



J. B. Carruthers. 



THE COPRA INDUSTRY. 



It has been brought to my notice on one or two occasions recent- 

 ly that the Singapore market price of Copra is nearly always less than 

 that quoted for Ceylon and the Pacific Islands. In order to ascertain 

 the reason of this I recently made careful enquiry into the state of the 

 market and the quality of the Copra offered for sale. 



What surprised me most was the very poor quality of the Copra im- 

 ported from the surrounding Islands and the Malay states compared 

 with that from Java and other Dutch Islands. After examining num- 

 erous samples taken from consignments from many different parts I am 

 not surprised that Singapore prices do not compare favourably with 

 those of other markets. 



There are several causes which account for the inferior quality and 

 price of local copra. The principal cause appears to me to be the 

 absence of some system of supervision over the native and Chinese grow- 

 ers. I believe that in Java and other Dutch Islands the Dutch Govern- 

 ment examines all Copra for export and only that which is up to stand- 

 ard quality is allowed to be shipped. This in a great measure accounts 

 for the excellence of Dutch Copra. The second cause is that it is a com- 

 mon practice to pick the coconuts before they are quite ripe thus 

 accounting for the large quantities of thin, soft and decaying Copra on 

 the market. Quantities of good ripe Copra are frequently ruined by 

 mixing it with this half matured stuff. The third reason is that the Copra 

 is badly dried. That said to be sun-dried is only partially dried and as 

 soon as put in bulk becomes mouldy and rots. That said to be kiln- 

 dried is practically roasted. A fourth, and by no means least important, 

 reason is the absence of any form of beneficial cultivation on the estates. 

 In the majority of instances trees are never by any chance manured 



