meantime  been  put  in  a better  state  of  repair  ; but  even  here  the 
Superintendent  was  a little  over  a mile  from  his  work.  It  is  need- 
less to  dilate  upon  the  utter  impossibilitv  of  working  a gang  of 
coolies  when  living  away  from  the  work  and  without  the  assistance 
of  an  overseer;  or  of  the  inconvenience  and  the  extra  work  thrown 
upon  the  Superintendent.  Another  site  was  felled  and  cleared  on 
the  Plantation  as  soon  as  permission  was  received,  and  the  bunga- 
low— which  was  a Public  Works  Department  work — was  almost 
ready  for  occupation  at  the  close  of  the  year. 
13.  A site  was  cleared  and  levelled  for  the  erection  of  the  over- 
Overseer’s  quar-  seer’s  quarters  and  a contract  let  for  the  same.  The 
ters.  building  was  Commenced  in  the  early  part  of  Decem- 
ber. 
A main  road,  16  chains  long.  20' wide^  with  a drain  on  each 
side  4'  X 3'  X leading  from  the  entrance  to  the 
Gardens  to  the  foot  of  the  hill  land^  was  commenced, 
though  not  completed  within  the  year.  * A deal  of  hlling  up  has 
been  necessary  in  the  construction  of  this  road,  as  the  Government 
road  lies  considerably  higher  than  the  adjoining  land.  At  the  foot 
of  the  hill  this  road  branches  to  the  right  and  to  the  left  and  is  ex- 
tended towards  the  jungle  in  such  a manner  that  it  may  be  still 
further  extended  from  time  to  time  as  more  jungle  is  taken  down 
and  eventually  run  right  round  the  estate.  From  the  foot  of  the 
bungalow  hill  an  approach  road  has  been  constructed  to  the  bunga- 
low and  is  20  chains  long  by  18'  wide. 
The  gradient  is  steep,  but  the  expenditure  entailed  in  the  con- 
struction of  a road  with  an  easy  gradient  would  have  been  exces- 
sive. A 12'  path  leading  from  this  road  to  the  overseer’s  bungalow 
was  cleared  and  stumped  at  a cost  of  $2.75  per  chain. 
•4- 
Roads. 
15- 
Drairage. 
2 ‘2 
The  principal  drains  are  4'  x 3'  x 2^',  of  which  62  chains  25 
links  have  been  cut  at  a cost  of  $3.50  a chain.  In 
addition  to  these  there  are  12  chains  of  drains  2^'  x 
X T,  the  total  length  of  drains  be- 
X 2\  and  93  chains  x i 
ing  a little  over  2 miles. 
16.  During  the  year  a memorandum  was  published  by  the 
The  Imperial  authorities  of  the  Imperial  Institute  calling  attention 
Institute.  to  the  advantages  offered  to  merchants,  planters  and 
others  who  may  wish  to  have  samples  submitted  to  scientific  experts 
for  opinion  as  to  their  commercial  value. 
Occasion  was  taken  of  the  opportunities  thus  offered  and  a bundle 
_ . of  Blumea  Balsamifera  was  despatched  on  30th  June 
g camp  r.  ^ fuj-ther  bundle  consisting  of  {lowers,  stems, 
leaves  and  roots  on  i8th  September.  This  plant  furnishes  the 
Ngai  camphor,  and  is  known  to  the  Malays  as  “chapa,’’  by  whom 
it  is  largely  used  in  native  medicine,  chiefly  as  a stomachic.  It 
was  suggested  that  it  might  be  turned  to  good  account  either  for 
the  production  of  camphor  or  as  a medicine.  It  is  common  in  waste 
places  in  Selangor,  and  if  of  sufficient  value  could  be  easily  culti- 
vated as  a catch  crop  on  rubber  estates.  No  news,  howe\’er.  has 
