102 



and those which remained could be burnt out by piling over 

 them the surrounding timber. This would of course en- 

 hance the cost of clearing perhaps by $10 or even $20 per 

 acre, a small consideration in comparison to the damage 

 that may be effected by T. Gestroi. 



Further advantages of more thorough clearing, would 

 be less liklihood of vacancies caused by Fomes semitostus 

 and a saving in the cost of weeding, in fact of every other 

 work carried on in the clearing, together with easier and 

 consequently more efficient a supervision. 



Cost of Eradication by destruction of timber 

 containing termitaria. 



It is obviously impossible to give even approximate 

 figures with regard to cost; this depends entirely on the 

 quantity of timber to be removed. One ten acre block may 

 contain a dozen large Kumpas and Meranti trees and the 

 adjoining fifty acres may contain only half a dozen. The 

 cost may vary from $2 to $20 per acre and it will be neces- 

 sarv to estimate for each ten or twenty acre block separate- 

 ly. 



In opening new clearings it is false economy to cut 

 down expenditure on clearing and it will obviously be far 

 cheaper to eradicate T. Gestroi in clearings before they are 

 planted than afterwards to say nothing of the saving in the 

 cost of other works and the satisfaction of knowing that 

 the only two pests which we have to fear have been 

 eradicated. 



T. Gestroi is frequently found in nibong palms but ow- 

 ing to the facility with which these can be split up and the 

 many uses they can be put to they do not cause any serious 

 trouble or expense. 



Drains as affecting Terms Gestroi. I have not in a 

 single instance found the runs of termites crossing a sub- 

 soil drain, excepting by means of a fallen log or wooden 

 bridge, it follows therefore, that the more frequent the 

 drains, the more circumscribed will be the attack of the 

 termites, provided that iron or concrete bridges are used 

 instead of wooden ones and that all timber lying across 

 drains be removed. 



The mound termites, T. Mklayanus, and T. carbonarius 

 seem to prefer the edge of a drain for the construction of 

 their termitaria but Gestroi apparently considers the suit- 

 ability of timber only and not that of soil in choosing its 

 home. 



