97 



AGRICULTURAL BULLETIN 



OF THE 



STRAITS 



AND 



FEDERATED MALAY STATES. 



No. 3.] MARCH, 1909. [Vol. VIII. 



TERMES GESTROI. 



In the whole of the past history of tropical agricul- 

 ture in tea, coffee, cocoa, cinchona and spices; there have 

 been four causes for disappointment and an awakening from 

 the golden dreams with which various enterprises were 

 originally commenced ; i.e. 



1. Substitutes. 



2. Synthetic production at a low cost. 



3. Over-production. 



4. Pests and Blights. 



The first three are beyond the control of the individ- 

 ual and if any reliance is to be placed on expert opinion 

 the rubber planter in the East has nothing to fear from 

 them in his comparatively new venture, but the fourth, 

 i.e., Pests and Blights, come well within his scope and 

 it is his duty to leave nothing to chance and do every- 

 thing within his power to assure the success of the enter- 

 prize. 



So far we have one blight and one pest which may 

 be considered as serious, i.e., Fomes semitostus and Termes 

 Gestroi. 



Fomes semitostus is a blight which if taken in hand 

 at once and treated according to the advice of the Govern- 

 ment mycologist Mr. W. J. Gallagher, will I am sure be 

 easily overcome as we have successfully dealt with the 

 same class of blight in tea, coffee, etc. by drainage and 

 application of lime. 



