820 
THE TROPICAL AGEICULTURIST. 
[June 1, 1901. 
Termites still contioae to be the worst pest which 
cultivators of Para rubber have to deal with but 
theae have been, more or less, kept iu checli by 
various remedies. 
Bambong. — The planting of Pious elastica b.ae 
oooupied the attention of planters much more this past 
year than hitherto, 52,147 trees having been planted 
out. A sample sent by the Superintendent of Forests, 
Perak, to London was valued at 3s. 6rf. per pound, 
and sold at 3« \0d. per pound. 
For further information your Oomniitcee refer you 
to the minutes of a general meeting, held on 5th 
January, which have been placed before you. The 
year shows that Gutta rambong is likely to occupy 
the attention of planters more in the future than it 
has done hitherto, fur, although the largest opeiationi 
are being carried on with Para, there seems to be a 
tendency to extend the cultivation of Ficus elastica. 
Coconuts. — An area of about 500 acres has been 
planted during the past year, altogether 1,504 acres 
are planted with this product, all of which is reported 
to be doing well and promise, especially in the coast 
districts, to bear fruit at an early age ; there ar* 
trees in the Klang districts which have started 
blossoming at the age of three years and three months 
from date of planting, or three and a half years 
from B''ed. The Government have been, and are 
still, doing' their best to check the ravages of beetls 
and it is hoped in time, with the co-operation of 
planters, that this pest will be brought within such 
bounds that its presence will not be a serious drawback 
to the cultivation. 
Ramie. — One estate is carrying on the cultiva- 
tion of ramie in a praiseworthy way, and we wish this 
estate all success. 
Minor Products. — The planting of catch crops has 
not been neglected in the past year, the largest opeca- 
tion in this line being chiefly in the coast districts. 
Yoin- Committee are in hopes that the Superintendent 
of Experimental Gardens will be able to find out 
some payint; catch-crops to plant with rubber. 
Labour, — During the year under review, the number 
of coolies of all races employed by members of the 
Association shoows an increase of 181 over the year 
before, judging from all the returns that could be 
obtained, and estimating the amount of labour on 
estates from which no returns could be obtained 
(see statement on baek of report.) Labour has been 
easily obtainable in sufficient quantities, and the full 
number of tickets agreed to be issued by the British 
India Steam Navigation Company at the cheap rate 
under agreement made with the Government of the 
Federated Malay States — viz., 6,000 — were taken up, 
either by Government or other employers of labour. 
Some considerable trouble has been experienced by 
planters by the action of the Agent for the Govern- 
ment at Negapatam towards kanganies and coolies, 
but on representation of fact* to the Government a 
reply was received that the officer in question was 
being discharged and a new one appointed. Dr. Poston 
took up the duties of Agent for the Government of 
the Straits Settlements and the F.M.S. at a recent 
date. The British India Steam Navigation Company 
still continue the issue of ch°ap tickets, pending a 
new agreement being made with the Government 
of the F.M8., the old one having expired. Some 
correspondence took place between the Association 
and the Government with reference to the arrange- 
ments for running a direct line of steamers between 
India and Kuala Klang ; but up to the present nothing 
definite in that direction has been done. In connec- 
tion with the question of labour imported from 
India and elsewhere, it may be mentioned that the 
Government has decided to erect a quarantine camp, 
and have chosen a suitable site for same. When 
this scheme has been carried out, coolies who arrive 
in the State, should there be a case of any infectious 
or contaKious disease on board, will be landed at the 
camp. Formerly they were not allowed to land and this 
was a source of extra trouble and expense to employers. 
BxPEBiMENTAL GARDENS.— The Government of the 
F.M.S., have appomted a Superintendent of Expert- 
mentf.l Gardens, and your Committee are iu hope that 
he will as soon as possible make experiments in tap- 
ping rubber trees of different ages, and different 
kinds, and be able to give us some trustworthy in- 
formation as to what yield we may expect from the 
different kinds' of rubber ; also that the Government 
will supply him with a Biffen separator which may 
prove of some use to him. We are also in hopes that 
Mr Stanley Arden will devote a good deal of his 
attention to hybrid coffee, and that he will be able to 
instruct us in the best methods of destroying and 
keeping pests in check. 
As the plantir'g of rubber has to some extent taken 
place in the attention of planters, a good del of hii 
time should be devoted to gathering and giving infor- 
mation on every branch of that cultivation, and his 
services in that direction will be most VLS(il\x\.—Se.langor 
Planters' Association. 
TEA-GROWING IN SOUTH RUSSIA. 
The following report of H.M. Consul at Batonm oq 
the tea iudnstry in the Caucasus, published in the 
" Board of Trade Journal," will be read with interest 
an.i satisfaction by those concerned in the production 
of British-grown tea: — 
" The progress made with the cultivation of te* 
along the south-east coast of the Black Sea is bat 
slow. The opinion held by many is that this industry 
cannot possibly assume any very great proportioni 
for a considerable number uf years. With the excep- 
tion of the Imperial Domains and the firm of Popoffj 
of Moscow, no other tea-planters of any importance 
have shown any inclination to come forward and 
follow the example of the pioneers mentioned above, 
by purchasing land near Batonm, or along the coast 
for this purpose, and in reality the results obtained 
up to the present are not of such a nature as to 
inspire would-be tea growers with the confidence 
which is necessary to induce people to place their 
capital in enterprises of this kind. The Imperial 
Domain authorities are, nevertheless, extending the 
area of land under the cultivation of tea, within the 
limits of their estates, and are also endeavouring to 
encourage ihoir neighbouring small landholders to 
embark in the industry by giving them seed to bow 
and seedlings from their nurseries to plant out. 
" The firm of Popoffs, which has three extensive 
plantations under tea in the vicinity of Batonm, after 
spending large sums of money on these estates and 
also in setting up a tea factory, has evidently become 
wearied of the results attained in the eight years 
during which it has been engaged in the industry, 
and ic is rumoured that the negociationa with the 
Administration of the Imperial Domain Lands are in 
course of progress for the sale of these estates. 
" The quality of the limited quantity of tea which 
has been manufactured locally, about 12 to 15 tons at 
the utmost ,' is nevertheless fairly good, except that 
the samples of tea, which I have had an opportunity 
of tasting, differ from the ordinary teas imported into 
Russia from China, in so far that they have a some- 
what astringent taste. Samples of the tea grown here 
have been analysed, and the results of the analysis 
have proclaimed the tea to be of satisfactory quality, 
but I am not in a position to give the detailed partil 
culars of the analysis. Samples of the tea sent to 
London, however, were very favourably reported on. 
" The great gnestion does not, however, lie in the 
quality of the tea, which, I dare say, can be brought ap 
to a high grade by soieutiflo and careful handling, steiug 
that tne climatic conditions of the district in which 
the plantations are situated are all in favour of the 
culture of tea, but in the fact that a permanent 
scarcity of labour exists : the rate of wages paid 
is comparatively high, andthis circumstance makes it 
moat difficult to render the industry remanerative. 
