May 1, 1900.1 THE TROPICA!* 
AGRICULTURIST. 
placed, but none was forked in. On the 17th March, 
the caretaker being present, we found that at the ex- 
tremity of the trenching, and right np to within 3 feet 
of the stem, the young tibrous roots had formed a 
inat, and it was impossible to lift the mulching without 
damagiog these roots. Now, what I wish to draw 
particular attention to is this : When the men started 
to fork over the surface they wanted to start near 
the stem. This I objected to at once, and made 
them keep their backs to it, showing them where 
the mistake is often made by digging underneath 
any tree or shrub. Each time you turn over the soil, 
so many rootlets suffer, because as you proceed you 
keep on doubling the roots over towards the stem, 
and this is carried on until the work is finished, 
when the soil is generally raked back again. Now 
this is against nature ; it is similar to someone 
doubling your fingers back upon the wrist and leaving 
them there. The roots are left in that state until 
the next season, and then the same cruel operation is 
carried out again, until the roots are diseased by being 
constantly bruised and broken, when, of course, the 
tree suffers and begins to decay. The proper way 
to clean nnderneath a tree is to start just at the ex- 
tremity of the branches, keeping your face to the 
opening until finished. You need not disturb the 
soil near the stem of a large tree, for do what you 
will there yon cannot impiova the growth of the 
tree ; because all roots at that place cannot feed, 
being too large, but you can throw some of the soil 
from the first remove round the stem. If you want 
to prevent decay, feed them just as I have explained 
that is at the extremity of the feeding roots, and that 
is just where the rain trickles down from the leaves. 
A practical man can see immediately what is the 
matter with any tree that is sickly-looking ; if the 
top of the tree is decaying, it is the fault of the 
tap-root entering the cold wet ground, and the remedy, 
for this is to excavate and out the tap root clean off 
1 say clean, for the least bruise will affect the tree's 
future growth. If the branches wither and the leaves 
fall off from the "lower branches, it is because the 
surface roots have been disturbed and doubled back 
in the way I have already described. There may be 
some other cause, but that is the chief one. As all 
plants in this colony are surface rooted, it is advisable 
not to disturb them by that process. If the rootlets 
require separating the best way is to get a pointed 
pick and work from the stem by continuous drawing : 
this does no harm, and the few roots that are torn 
up are of advantage to the tree's growth ; it separates 
.the mats of roots and draws all towards the feeding 
ipoint. There is no necessity to throw any soil back, 
jget some mulching and cover all underneath the tree 
with a good coating. If you have any manure especially 
good, I have told you where to put it. 
I know of one instance where the owner, wishing 
ito prevent the roots of a camphor tree from coming 
into a bed made around the stem, placed bricks and 
,B.heet iron close round the bottom with the object of 
•preventing its roots coming through ; but very soon 
■they got beyond this confinement ; they turned np- 
^wards and now the 2 feet of soil is a mass of fibrous 
.Xoots, and the tree has splendid foliage. 
There is no pursuit wherein so much depends upon 
the right thing being done at the right time as in 
this; and in all other pursuits the man of close obser- 
»yation and systematic habits — who is not too proud 
to learn from any sources, however humble— is the 
rfln© who will succeed, for there is no better guide 
^Ihan to seek the advice and experience of others 
(Bind iby following the advice tendered it will be the 
qieans of preventing decay, and will also give to the 
tpiants new life. — Queensland Agric uUural Journal. 
Htbridism in Citrus. — The seeds of Citrus often 
contain more than one embryo plant. Lately Mr. 
'"Webber has shown that in hybrid plants of Citrus 
'only one of the embryos shows any trace of the 
pollen-parent, the true hybrid being derived from 
.tihe egg-cell, and all the others by adventitious em- 
bryos produced from the nucellar tissue of the ovule. 
— Gardeners' Chronicle, 
THE STRAITS: DEVELOPMENT OF THE 
FEDEUATED MALAY STATES. 
COFFEE, COCONUTS, AND RUBBER IN PERAK. 
A representative of a Colombo Paper has had an in- 
teresting interview with a resident of the Pedoi-ated 
Malay States, who is on a vist to Ceylon, showing the 
opening up of the country, the introduction of new pro- 
ducts and the starting of new industries, all affording 
splendid opportunities for the investment of capital. 
The development of the country is gradually taking 
place, Europeans are settling down, and plantations 
of new products are being opened, while the mineral 
resoarces_ of the country is also attracting a share 
of attention. The climate is fine and agreeable, and 
there is plenty of rain, and the soil is described as 
very rich. Land can be secured on favourable terms 
from Government on a long lease at a nominal rent. 
The Rev. W. E. Horley, of the Methodist Episicopai 
(-hnroh, an American institution, who afforded the re- 
presentative the interview, has spent many years in 
the Malay Peninsula carrying on Mission work at 
Ipoh, in Perak, while he has also travelled all over 
the country. 
COFFEE. 
Regarding the introduction of coffee we were told 
that the soil is remarkably adapted for its cultiva- 
tion, and during recent years large plantations were 
being opened up round about Ipoh bv Chinese 
towki/ah.i, that is men who have made their fortunes 
in tin mining. At Taluk-ausou, about forty miles 
from the coast up the Perak Kiver, a fine, large 
plantation, about four to five years old, has been 
opened by a European Company, and this is now 
bearing heavily. An older plantation ia Waterloo 
estate in Kiuta district, which covers an extensive 
area, and was planted over ten years ago. With 
the exception of the first-named estate which is on low 
land, the others are ail on the hills, about 100 miles 
from the coast. Most of them are now bearing, and 
the produce is transported by river and rail, "being 
taken to Penang or Singopore by smali steamers. 
The berries are fine and large, and there is no leaf 
disease, and the trees have a vigorous growth. d?he 
price of coffee, however, is at present very low, but 
notwithstanding this, tl:e native growers keeo up 
their plantations. ' 
COCONUTS. 
Cocount cultivation can be said to be quite a new 
introduction. Up till recently whatever n;its were 
required had to be imported from neighbouring 
countries, but now the first clearings are producing 
crops, while further extensions are in progress A 
large clearing at the mouth of the Perak River 
which was laid down in nuts some four years ago 
is now in bearing which demonstrates the richness 
of the soil. The Straits Plantations Co., a European 
concern, is opening out several thousand acres ; while 
they are also intending to erect oil mills on their 
premises. The natives are also going in largely for 
coconut cultivation, and on some of their patches 
there are trees already in bearing. Several new 
Companies are being formed for coconut cultivation 
on a large scale at the mouth of the Perak River - 
and the industry promises to be an important one 
in the near future. There are vast tracts of land 
suitable for coconuts, and only waiting to be opened. 
PARA RUBBEB 
The cultivation of Pai-a Rubber is just attractine 
some attention, and the product is being planted bv 
both Europeans and natives in differnt localities A 
^'"^ enterprise, is going in" 
for Rubber cnltvation on a large scale at Kotabhara 
in the Kinta Valley, which is about 30 miles from 
lalnk-auson. He is opening out about 6,000 acres 
and has engaged a European Manager to supervise 
the work. Other plantations for this product are also- 
being opened in the Kinta Valley : and large patches 
among the coffee, on the coffee estates, are to be seen 
'planted with the new product. It is expected that 
statisfactory restiUa will be obtained in Rabber- 
