524 



botanical and agricultural conditions of the Federated Malay States. 

 The appointment of a scientific man to devote himself to the study of the 

 diseases of cultivated plants is one of the best forms of insurance of 

 agricultural interests which can be adopted. 



That such an official can at once produce a panacea for all or any 

 diseases which are causing damage to the various cultivated plants of 

 the country no one will expect, but that all diseases can be looked after 

 from their earliest stages and studied in the only way in which any 

 knowledge can be gained — i.e., in situ — is of great value. The history 

 of such work has shown that the investigation of diseases of plants has 

 always led to methods being discovered for successfully combating 

 each evil. 



Malaya is especially fortunate in the climate which is unsurpassed 

 for rapid growth of vegetation ; but these exceptionally good conditions 

 are also in some cases favourable to the prosperity of insect and fungal 

 pests, and it is imperative that careful watch should be kept by all culti- 

 vators so that the earliest signs of disease, to whatever cause due, may 

 be brought to the notice of the department. 



Delays in the treatment of any disease are dangerous, and every 

 year cases are reported in which, if preventive and curative measures 

 had been taken earlier, a good deal of labour and expense would have 

 been saved. All effective measures for the preservation of health, 

 whether carried out by individuals or by the Government, rest upon 

 exact knowledge of the causes of the diseases and the effects they 

 produce. The best time to investigate a disease of cultivated crops is 

 the first time it is observed and not when it is found that great damage 

 is being done. 



Mr. Gallagher's report, though it is a record of his first few months' 

 work in an entirely new field, contains interesting and important infor- 

 mation. 



Mr. T.C. Nock, Assistant Inspector of Coconuts, took up his duties 

 early in the year and has already proved the value of his appointment 

 by the energy and interest he has displayed in his work. 



Chemistry, which should form a very important part of this report, 

 is unfortunately absent, the Government Chemist has duties in connec- 

 tion with the Medical, Legal and Health Office Departments of his 

 work, which leave little or no time for agricultural questions. 



Experiment Station. 

 No Department of Agriculture is complete without a well-organised 

 experiment station where new products can be grown, and experiments 

 with improved methods of cultivation of these plants already cultivated 

 can be systematically carrid on. The planter cannot initiate experi- 

 ments for the improvement of his cultivation since many experiments 

 have to be made which end in failure. These failures are often the 

 most valuable results of such work, as they prevent serious losses to 

 planters who might try the same methods on a larger scale if the statis- 

 tics of careful experiment had not shown their uselessness. To carry on 

 successfully a continuous series of experiments it is necessary to have 

 technical knowledge so that the theoretical basis of the experiment 

 shall be sound, and exactitude in recording all the factors at the begin- 

 ning and during all details of its progress. 



