311 



In former years in travelling through Malacca vast fields of 

 lalang were one of the most prominent features of the landscape. No 

 planter would take up such ground as the expense of extirpating the 

 grass was too great, and meanwhile this useless area was extending. 

 Now, however, circumstances have changed and this land, on which 

 there has been no timber for many years, has been found to be free 

 of the underground fungi injurious to Hevea trees, and is being taken 

 up on account of this advantage. 



The clause in Statutory grants requiring permanent cultivation 

 on land taken up has stopped the development of new areas of lalang, 

 and as the old lalang fields are succumbing to the wave of rubber 

 cultivation, the lalang grass will end in becoming a rare plant in 

 Malacca. — Ed. 



AGRICULTURE IN THE NATIVE STATES 

 IN 1909. 



The Annual Government Report for 1909 gives an interesting 

 and important account of the progress of Agriculture in the Federated 

 Malay States during the year, out of which we extract the following 

 statistics and notes : 



AGRICULTURE. 



Area under Cultivation. 



The Director of Agriculture puts the area under cultivation in 

 the Federated Malay States at 353,389 acres, divided as follows : — 



Perak I33»950 acres. 



Selangor 125,623 „ 



Negri Sembilan 75.204 „ 



Pahang l8,6i2 „ 



Total ... 353*389 acres. 



an increase of 33,667 acres. 



This acreage, which excludes padi and horticulture, was planted 

 as follows : — 



Coconuts 123,815 acres. 



Rubber 196,953 v 



Coffee 5,885 „ 



Other Cultivation 26,736 



Total ... 353,389 acres. 



