8 



There are approximately 30,000 acres under coconuts in this 

 district and each year sees an increased area of trees in bearing, 

 especially in the coast Mukims. The output of native-prepared copra 

 from Rungkup and Bagan Datoh has now increased to over 3,000 

 pikuls per month. 



The area alienated for Padi during the year was inconsiderable. 

 Where bendangs already exist no serious attempt was made at Padi 

 cultivation outside the Mukim of Pulau Tiga. In that Mukim, owing 

 to the efforts of Datoh Paduka Raja, the Penghulu, the harvest 

 of the 1908 planting should be good. 



A trial was made during the year with the *' Kinchow " water 

 wheel as a means of lifting water from the Perak river on to the Padi 

 fields at Kampong Gajah. The experiment was not a success, the 

 river not being swift enough in the dry weather, when irrigation 

 water was required, to admit of the wheel raising sufficient water to 

 be of any practical use. 



Mr. C. W. C. Parr, Acting District Officer, Batang Padang 

 reports that there are now 18 rubber estates in the district with a 

 total area of approximately 15,000. Returns show that the area 

 actually under cultivation is now about 7,000, an increase of about 

 3,000 acres on the area opened in 1907. Citronella grass has been 

 planted both as a catch crop and a weed exterminator on two estates, 

 and an apparatus for the extraction of the oil has been installed on 

 the Sungei Lander Estate. 



Wild passion-flower {Passiflora foetida ) has been introduced on 

 one estate and Crotalaria on at least two others, whilst groundnuts 

 are planted between the rubber on one estate. 



Javanese indentured labour is employed on several estates and 

 the labour force appears to be sufficient to meet the demand. Small 

 holdings might be alienated on favourable terms to coolies on the 

 expiration of their contracts and they are advised to take advantage 

 of this offer. 



Of the large number of Tamils resident in the district for years 

 hardly any have taken up agricultural holdings. 



The dam and ditch for the irrigation scheme at Berang in the 

 Hulus Bernam Mukim, was completed at a cost of $1,255,99, and a 

 good supply of water should be assured at all seasons. There has 

 not as yet been a great demand for land in the irrigation area. The 

 water supply should suffice for the irrigation of at least 500 acres and 

 the scheme is probably, for the area affected, one of the cheapest ever 

 sanctioned by Government. Four thousand and twenty-eight acres 

 of agricultural land were alienated during the year. The Padi crop 

 at Slim was much damaged by floods. 



Mr. H. Berkley, District Officer, Upper Perak, reports that the 

 1907-08 crop of Padi was good — not first rate — as many fields ran to 

 straw — but neither rats nor pigs were bad and it probably averaged 

 300 to 350 gantangs to the acre. 



