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such a soil is characteristic of the coast lands in the F. M. S. the 

 looser soils being in the minority. 



Influence of Lalang. 



A common belief among planters is that T. gestroi does not live in 

 lalang land ; this however is not entirely correct, but it is not difficult 

 to see how how such an opinion has originated. Most of the land which 

 is at present covered with lalang was felled many years ago, and the 

 fallen trees have already been devoured by various insects, thus leaving 

 no food for Gestroi to exist on, they jnust therefore either die or gra- 

 dually make their way to other places which would account for their 

 absence at the present time. 



That they have no dislike to lalang land is evidenced by their 

 presence among many Malay kampongs, which are usually overgrown 

 with lalang and other weeds, but owing to the presence of Mango, 

 Coconut trees, etc., T. gestroi has a means of sustenance. 



Importance of Examining Dead Wood. 



The most important point in connection with the present abundance 

 of T. gestroi and which has been practically overlooked is the fact that 

 it attacks dead as well as Hying wood. At Kuala Selangor which is low 

 lying jungle Termes gestroi in its natural state in very common. This 

 is evidenced by the number of Kumpas and Meranti trees that are 

 attacked as may easily be seen' when virgin jungle is felled. I have 

 also found under natural conditions old stumps riddled with gestroi and 

 large nests of the same species beneath the ground. 



When such land is felled T. gestroi is already among the fallen 

 trees, and the natural conditions which previously existed are altered 

 and rendered more favourable to the multiplication of this insect. 



As pointed out by Mr. Eobinson T. gestroi does not enter an estate 

 from the jungle, for if they did the trees at the edge of the jungle would 

 suffer to a greater extent than those in the centre of the plantation. 

 They are therefore bred within the estate. 



The Eubber termite does not immediately attack the Para rubber 

 tree but first devours such dead wood to which it has no aversion. 



In this way T. gestroi has on old estates and is becoming in new 

 estates a formidable pest. The fact that it is among the dead wood 

 and rapidly multiplying has up to the present time been ignored ; it is 

 only when the rubber trees are being attacked that any measures are 

 taken against its ravages. The dead wood may have become full of 

 gestroi but even then no attention is directed to it, the attacked rubber 

 trees being treated by perhaps digging around their roots and applying 

 lime. Such a treatment to any single tree when there is a constant 

 supply of T. gestroi from an adjacent stump or trunk must necessarily 

 be a very temporary and practically useless measure against its 

 attacks. 



On a young estate if a careful examination he made of fallen logs, 

 stumps, and bridges over drains, many of these will be found to be 

 full of gestroi. If young trees are attacked any old logs or stumps in 

 the vicinity must be examined as they are in nearly all instances 

 directly responsible for the infection of the living tree. 



