432 



down and at Pekan they were not quite so dean but this 

 was on account of the owners being lately at work in the 

 padi fields. 



At Kuala Pahang the plantations were not altogether 

 satisfactory, and the Sub-Inspector was instructed to give 

 these kampongs strict and more frequent supervision. 



Towkay Loke Yew's plantation is much improved, but 

 the soil is very poor, and the trees must be thoroughly 

 manured before they can make any really good progress in 

 growth. This, I am glad to say, is now being done. 



At Kuan tan the upkeep of the kampongs was satis- 

 factory. 



The dry disease, referred to in my previous reports, 

 has not been very serious this year. It resembles very 

 closely the " Coconut Bleeding Disease" as in Ceylon. The 

 Sub-Inspector sent up parts of one of the affected trees to 

 the Government Mycologist for examination, but from 

 these specimens he could arrive at no definite conclusion, 

 and states that it will be necessary to examine the trees on 

 the spot, which he will do on the first available opportunity. 



Copra. — I am indebted to the Commissioner of Trade 

 and Customs for the following statement giving the export 

 of copra from the States during the vear : 



Perak '49,016 pikuls 



Selangor 20,879 



Pahang . . . . . . 659 „ 



Negri Sembilan . . . . 285 „ 



Total . . 70,839 



an increase of over 21,000 pikuls as compared with 1907. 



Quotations for the articles have varied from $6.50 to $8 

 per pikul during the period under review, and I should say 

 that $7.25 per pikul may be taken as the average price. 



The copra manufactured on the European-owned es- 

 tates was of excellent quality and fetched top prices in the 

 market. On the other hand, I regret to say, that the copra 

 produced from the native holdings was very inferior and 

 Etppears to be going from bad to worse. This may be ac- 

 counted for to some extent by the fact that the Malays in 

 some localities are converting the nuts into copra them- 

 selves, instead of selling them to the Chinese, as formerly. 

 The latter are by no means adept in the trade, but they 

 certainly are not so slovenly or careless in the process ae 

 the Malays. Perhaps the w : orst feature of the case is that 

 the .Malays, in order to get as much produce as possible, 



