June 1, 1901. 
THE TEOPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
819 
ascends through different strata of tne atmosphere. 
Not only is it felt, but, from the robust healthy 
appearance of the two-year-old coffee, one sees hat 
the growth does not rush up so quickly as is usually 
the case at lower elevation. It presents a remarkably 
healthy appearence, and the few stray berries that 
were found were seen to be of sound quality and no 
sign of light berry or any disease. 
Of insect pests, very few need be feared at this eleva- 
tion, and it is evident that neither borer nor bug 
visits this coffee. 
A few red spots were observed on some of the leaves 
in which was found the coffee-leaf miner cemiostamd 
coffeelluni. It is remarkable that at about 3 800 ft 
aUiiude the best plants were observed, showing 
good sound healthy growth and giving great promise. 
As an experiment the owner had six two-year-old 
trees brought up from his lower plaulation at 
Bloomfield and planted at about 3,000 fc. altitude 
and now these trees show a heavy crop of clean 
berries, and all the six ti'ees in good growth, whereas 
at the lower elevation plantation the coffee has not 
been a success. Aceording to a list o£ altitudes 
fixed by Mr. Lloyd, late Government Surveyor, the 
plantations of liloomfield and Thornwood are at 
about 2,200 to 2500 feet, so it would seem that, at the 
lower elevation of this part of Allanje, where high 
temperatures are obtained and heavy rainfall pre- 
dominates, dense shade is necessary but at the 
higher situations shade may be dispensed with 
altogether. The temperature is cooler and the rain- 
fall, iilthou^ih quite as much as at 2,000 ft., does no» 
seem to be of such a torrential nature, as the soil 
does not exhibit much wash. 
Tobacco and tea should do very well here, and for 
cocoa a more ideal situation could not be found. It 
is heavily forested country, well watered by numerous 
streams, and the soil is of that nature where cocoa 
would Ixuriate, and with such conditions an even 
humidity would be maintained throughout the year. 
The temperature for one year, I believe, did not go 
lower than 48° Faht. nor higher than 91° Paht. The 
rainfall at this part of Mlanje is large, and seems to 
culminate at Lauderdale, where the highest rainfalls 
are recorded. 
The phenomenon apparently commences beyond the 
Ruo stream where the first peaks of Mlanje meet the 
south-east winds, and increases in volume till Lander, 
dale is reached, and from there round to the northern 
slopes at Lukulesi it diminishes rapidly, beginning 
at probably 60 inches at the Portuguese Fort and 
reaching 130 in hes at the Luchenga and Lauder- 
dale estates, diminishing from that to about 50 inches 
at Lukuiesi, a fact which is indicated on comparing 
the heavily-forested country at the Ruo to the 
sparsel J -covered country at the Lukulesi. 
Although I did not visit Lukulesi and cannot say 
anything about its present condition, it is still signi- 
ficant that with such a small rainfall this estate has 
given heavy crops for some years, and shade is not 
extensively adopted. 
Mr. Simpson's NtunduHma estate was visited, and 
I found that he had partially given up coffee and 
was directing his attention to the cultivation of 
chillies. He has also planted out a lot of ceara 
rubber trees. His Dnu orange and mango trees are 
objects of admiration, and from these be gets good 
crops. 
On arriving at Blantyre I proceeded to fcioohe to 
observe a reported fungoid disease. On goin^ over 
the estate with Mr. lijglis, I found that much of 
what had beea affected had long since been out 
away, and it was only a small patch of coffee which 
I observed showed any sign of injury. 
A few of the shoots exhibited signs of the bark 
having been removoJ at the base or junction to the 
main stem. The wound appeared old and cankered, 
and the wood dry, while the shoot itself, although not 
de»d, appeared unhealthy and somewhat swollen, 
from the fact that the sap therein could not return 
to the main stem because of the wound. It is prob- 
able that canker was the cause of the injury, but 
some of the shoots exhibited signs of having been 
eaten. The injury, hov%ever, is comparatively slight 
and not likely to cause any considerable loss ; to re- 
medy it, ascertain if there is sufficitnt depth of soil 
where it, has occurred, and if not it will be advisable 
not to plant csffee on that part of the estate. 
Lunza and Chipande estates look clean, and pro- 
mise fair crops. 
J. Mc. Clounie, 
Head of the Svientific Department. 
—B.C.A. Gazette. 
SELANGOR PLANTERS' ASSOCIATION. 
ANNUAL REPORT FOB 1900. 
At the end of the year under review, the culti- 
vated area according to all the returns that cuuld 
be obtained, and estimating the area of estates from 
which no returns could be obtained, is less by 473 
acres than that ot the previous year, and on the back 
of this report is a statement shoiving how these 
figures are arrived at. 
Plantins Products.— (<7) Co/fee.— Prices ruling 
during the year have shown a distinct improvement 
over those of last year and are as follows; January 
^20 per pikul, February |22, March |22.50, April |21 
May ^iQMb, June §22, July $22.50, August p3, Sep- 
tember §21.25, October $19, November $19, and Decem- 
ber $19 : an average of ^20 89 per pikui, or $3 (i9 
higher than the average tor lu,st year. Prices vveie 
firmer at the comencement of the year ; but, to- 
wards the end, prices were dull and the market still 
remains so. The low prices, although better than 
those obtained last year, have necessitated the 
strictest economy on all estates. Under these circum- 
• tancas your Committee consider that it is a matter 
for cungratulation that estates are looking so remark- 
ably well, and that the planters are showing such 
determination to do everything in their power to tide 
over the present orisis- 
The attempt to improve the quality of our coffee, 
commenced in 1899, has been continued during 1900, 
and it can safely be said that the sample gsnerally 
is better than it ever before was. During the year 
five samples of sun-dried and machine-dried coffee 
were sent to a London Broker by the Committee of 
the United Planters' Association for report and 
valuation, with the result that such samples wer* 
favourably reported on, and showed a conBiderable im- 
provement in value on the Singapore pi ices for 
similar samples, and your Committee have followed 
up the action of the United Planters' Association 
in obtaining promises of contributions from estates 
in Selangor to form regular monthly shipments to 
London : and we trust that this may lead to some- 
thing substantial being done towards shipping our 
produce direct to European markets. To show that 
it is realised how important it is that the quality 
of our coffee be raised to the highest standard 
posjible, the fact may be mentioned that three 
patent driers have been added to those already iu 
use in the state. 
Your Committee consider the above references to 
Brazil estates regarding manure and case of Ceylon 
sufficient to stimulate you in continuing to keep your 
young and vigorous coffee iu as good order as your 
finances will allow of, tor we are iu hopes that the 
days are coming, and perhaps not far off, when 
large crops will mean large profits. 
tara Rubber— l>\iung the year the cultivation of 
this product has increased considerably, 1,14(3,870 st-eda 
having been imported or obtained from local sources, 
all of which have been planted out in the field or in 
nurseries. It is to be regretted that seed imported 
from Ceylon germinated exceedingly badly ; 1 i. , as 
hitherto, we are indebted to v-eylon for a huge \.ict- 
centage of the rubber now flourishing in Selangor, we 
hope this will not occur again. Local seed gave au 
outturn of at least 75 per cent. 
