165 



Some two and a half years ago a small coconut plantation was - 

 destroyed at Kwala Selangor on account of its harbouring numerous 

 coconut beetles. The trees were cut up and burnt, and the stumps 

 destroyed, the roots being left. I found on digging in this land which 

 was covered with lalang that these roots still contained living Gestroi. 



Six Eriodendron planted by the side of a parit were also killed by 

 the rubber termite. Their burrows were followed and found to lead 

 to an old Meranti stump felled some 8-10 years ago, certainly long 

 before the cotton trees were planted, and the former was to all 

 appearances directly responsible for the infection of the latter trees. 



Influence of Draining. 



It has been stated that deep draining encourages T. gestroi in 

 account of it affording a greater depth of land for this insect to burrow 

 in. The slightest acquaintance with the habits of this pest however is 

 sufficient to show that such an argument is fallacious. The runs of 

 T. gestroi are never found more than 4 feet below the surface of the 

 ground (sometimes only an inch) even in estates where the main drains 

 are 9 feet deep and cross drains as much as 5 feet. 



In badly drained damp places such as often occur between the 

 hills in the Batu Tiga district, Termes gestroi has been met with in 

 abundance ; instances such is this are common, and are sufficient to 

 prove that deep draining does not aid this pest in its destructive work. 



Nature of the Soil as Affecting the Abundance 

 of Termes Gestroi. 



The influence the soil has upon the prevalence of T. Gestroi 

 appears to be somewhat undecided. My own observations support the 

 general idea viz : that heavy clay soils are the most affected. 



Some replies however received in answer to a circular letter sent 

 to each estate in the F. M. S. in connection with this subject are in 

 opposition to this generally accepted idea. The following extracts of 

 two letters received are cases in point " These {Termes gestroi) are 

 certainly becoming a menace. I find they are by far most active on 

 dry friable soils which are kept free of insects ; where the soil is a 

 stiff clay, fairly damp, and carrying grass and jungle there are hardly 

 any white ants, while where the soil is like a garden mould well drained 

 and no weeds they are very plentiful." 



In the other received, "On dry flat land, where the soil is purely of 

 a sandy nature the majority of damage has been done." Several other 

 letters confirm these statements. Other planters find peaty soil to 

 encourage Gestroi, while the majority are of opinion that clay soils are 

 the more favourable to it. 



At Kwala Selangor where most of my investigations were conducted 

 the subsoil is of a greyish blue clay, and white ants are plentiful. 

 Rubber trees planted along the edges of a drain appear to be especially 

 favourable to Gestroi. I cannot account satisfactorily for this fact, 

 unless it is that Gestroi has a partiality for earth removed from a drain. 



It thus appears that the nature of the soil has but little influence 

 on the prevalence of Gestroi, for although nearly all estates with a 

 clay subsoil are more or less troubled, it must be borne in mind that 



