Oct. 1, 1899.] THE THOPICAii 
AGRICULTURIST. 
259 
pliones at all the places I mentioned and we found 
the telegrapli line and 
TELEPHONES VERY USEFUL 
in eoniniunieating with Labuan ; but comniuni- 
eation with Sandakan, on the other side of the 
territory, has not yet been established, chiefly 
owing to want of battery power. This will prob- 
ably soon be in order. 
On our return to Beaufort, Mr. Tower pro- 
ceeded to Labuan and England, taking with him 
the plans and sections of 9U miles of railway. 
I stayed at Beaufoit and met 
MR. H. W. liAILEY, OF YOUR ISLAND, 
who had come to inspect laud supposed to be 
suitable tor gucta and rubber, and I understand 
that he has reported favourably on a large block 
of 20,000 acres on the railway line and 10,000 acres 
to the north of Sandakan. 
THE EASTERN EXTENSION TELEGRAPH CO. 
who have a principal station on Labuan Island are 
interested in the above lands, 20,000 acres of which 
were given them by the Chartered Company in 
return for their establishing themselves at Labuan 
and laying a cable to the mainlami, and I hope 
to see the planting of rubber and gutta taken 
vigorously in hand. Of the suitability of British 
North Borneo for their cultivation, tliere is no 
doubt as gutta and rubber are exported from 
every port varying in value from $30 to ti,380 a 
picul, say 5^d to 5s 9d per lb. In one district, the 
natives cultivate a rubber creeper and tap it 
periodically, selling the rubber per $80 a picul. 
I made enquiries from Mr. Keasberry 
ABOUT LABOUR. 
Be is opening an experimental garden at Tenom, 
about 800 feet above the sea, and can get plenty 
of labour, men and women, and frequently has 
to refuse small gangs of natives from the far 
interior who wish to earn wages. Mr. Keasberry 
is of opinion that a h.rge number of coolies, say 
three or four thousand, can be trot from the 
Upper Padas. This is corroborated by the head- 
men with whom I s))oke. The climate at Tenom 
is delightful, and although only 800 feet in eleva- 
tion ; it is as cold at night as at 2,000 feet in Ceylon 
and a warm night is unknown. The rainfall is 
probably 70 to 80 inches, but so well divided 
throughout the year that the paddy fields are 
planted 
WHENEVER THE NATIVES WANT FOOD. 
This applies to the dry paildy grown on the hills 
as well as to the irrigated paddy on the plains. 
I saw some Arabian cofi'ee plants in Mr. Keas- 
berry's nurseries, looking very well — he is plant- 
ing Arabian and Liberian and is opening a clear- 
ing at 1,500 feet for tea and cinchona. When 
the railway reaches thus far, it will afford a de- 
lightful change. Tenom is particularly healthy, 
and the plains afToid 
SPLENDID SHOOTING, 
— deer and wild cattle. I have counted 35 sambur 
deer in one morning. I prefer stalking, accom- 
panied by our follower, but a popular method is 
the drive which ;s done by the villagers and 
their dogs while the guns are placed at the 
edge of the clump of forest. This necessitates 
very quick sightins:, but there is great pleasure in 
ANTICIPATING THE OUTWARD RUSH 
of the driven game. 
The railway in use at present is only 20 miles 
long ; and, at the eighth mile, a bridge is un- 
finished, over the Bukow; but there is a construc- 
tion engine on each side, and the (unloaded) cars 
can be pushed across the temporary bridge, Mr. 
West has 
BUILT ALL HIS ROLLING-STOCK 
with local timber of a remarkably good quality 
and is running one first-class car, a dining car, 
one third-class car, and as many trucks ^s re- 
quired, twice a week from Weston to Beaufort. 
This interferes tt good deal with the ballasting 
operations, but it is desirable and trattic is already 
leaving the river Padas for the railway. Tran- 
sport is cheaper, ami a very good class of shop 
is to be found both at Bukow and Beaufort. I 
noticed that the 
FUEL USED IS WOOD ; 
previously it was coal, which is cheap, quarried 
in Labuan. There are large coal seams at Bukow 
which wpre purchased from the Sultan of Brunei 
before this province. Province Went was taken 
over by the Chartered Company. These now 
belong to the Kajah of .'-arawak, and it will be 
a good thing botli for the Kajah and the railway 
when they are worked. 
Arrangements are being made for the transfer 
of the Customs Office and Police Station, now 
situated at Batu Batu, which commands the en- » 
trances of the Padas and Bukow rivers, to Weston, 
the railway terminus. This means the migration, 
also of about 150 natives who^e chief occupation 
is fishing. The fishermen will then be in touch 
with a large population and obtain a better 
sale. 
FOOD SUPPLIES. 
The price of fresh tish is three cents a catty. 
Fowls are dear and beef is rarely obtainable. 
Wild pigeons and other birds are snared in great 
quantities, and are very cheap, and vegetables, 
thanks to the Chinese gardens on the railway • 
line, are plentiful. Fruit is plentiful and cheap. 
It is very satisfactory to note that the 
CHINESE ARE PLANTING COCONUTS 
in their i^ardens, and t hey are doing well. Two 
applications from Chinese'engaged on the railway 
works for 20 acres and 25 acres have ju^t been 
approved. The uiice is $8 an acre, beautiful soil 
and a healthy climate. Marco Polo mentioned 
the Chinese in Borneo (how many years ago?) 
and today they are becoming as numerous as they 
were in his time. They are kept out of the 
Australias and the Americas, and possibly the 
occr.pation of the Philippines by the Americana 
will mean restricted intercourse with China 
but we have only one remark, to Chinese or to any 
decently behaved people — 
LET THEM ALL COME ! 
GREY AND OTHER BLIGHTS: 
THEIR STUDY AND THEIR REMEDY. 
(B;/ a Ccyloii, Planter.) 
In writing- the following notes on grey and 
other blights, I must ask your many readers 
to excuse shortcomings and I can only hone 
that this article may be of interest to some. 
Grey and brown blight seem to be of the 
same family and both live on the matter 
found in the leaf-cells of the hop plant. The 
mycelium of these pests ramify through the 
intercellular tissues and reproduction is 
carried on by spore-bearing liyphae, which 
ma,y be seen on the decayed leaf surface. 
It is a curious fact that fungi similar to grey 
blight (in its effect) may be found on almost 
all trees, etc. —coffee, gums, jungle and so on. 
Ir such are the same as is found on tea, it 
shows how widespread the pest is ; other- 
wise it is reasonable to suppose that the 
present increase of blights is entirely due tg 
