590 



ty, and it is further lessened by good drainage giving better aeration to 

 the soil. 



Where areas measured by the square mile rather than the acre are 

 without exception covered with the same kind of plant, as is the case 

 with Hevea braziliensis in the Federated Malay States, it is most im- 

 portant to attack disease before it has made any headway. Once it 

 becomes virulent and epidemic the monetary loss would be enormous. 

 Constant vigilance is therefore very necessary, and all appearances of 

 unhealthiness should be reported without delay. There should be no 

 waiting until the plant is actually dead, and infection has most likely 

 spread to others round it. Many of our planters have learned to their 

 cost in other countries the danger of epidemic fungal disease and are 

 quick to notice sick plants, but not all have yet learnt the importance 

 of taking some steps at the earliest signs of ill-health in their trees. 



W. J. Gallagher, 

 Government Mycologist, F. M. S. 



Report of the Inspector of Coconut trees, Department 

 of Agriculture, for the Year 1907. 



The area under coconut cultivation at the end of 1907 in the 

 Federated Malay States I estimate, approximately, at 112,500 acres, 

 apportioned to the four States as follows : 



Perak ... 57,776 acres 



Selangor 21,321 „ 



Negri Sembilan 18,000 „ 



Pahang ... ... 15,463 „ 



Showing, as compared with 1906, an increase of 7,500 acres, or a 

 little more than 7 per cent., which may, I think, be considered satisfac- 

 tory. 



Of the above acreage nearly two-thirds are now in bearing, and I 

 should say the whole may be roughly valued at $22,000,000. 



In the area planted up during 1907 about 650 acres were opened up 

 by Europeans, from which it may perhaps be inferred that, after a 

 lapse of some years, they are again beginning to interest themselves in 

 this product. The remainder, about 6,850 acres, planted by the native 

 community, is fairly distributed over Perak, Selangor and Negri 

 Sembilan. 



I noticed in the earlier part of the year with some anxiety that the 

 Malays were beginning to plant para rubber in preference to cocoanuts, 

 but I am glad to say that they have practically abandoned this cultiva- 

 tion lately. My reasons for objecting to their planting para rubber 

 are these : In the hrst place this cultivation does not suit them nearly 

 so well as coconuts, and I question very much if it is, so far as they 

 are concerned, really more profitable, while it undoubtedly leads to theft 

 of seed and young plants from the surrounding rubber plantations. 

 When the trees ultimately mature the outcome will prove, perhaps, 

 more serious, not only by the adulteration of the rubber, necessarily 



