Oct. 1, 1898.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST 
235 
at Klang. I am glad to say that this factory is 
now about to ba supplemented by a store and curing 
establishment of large dimensions now in course of 
erection by Mr. W. W. Bailey, on his estate of 
Lowlands, near Klang. Constructed under the supe- 
rintendence of this most experienced planter there can 
be no doubt that this building will be replete with 
ail the necessary plant, and Mr. Bailey will, in all 
probability, be able to render assistance in curing 
to his planting neighbours as well as to provide for 
the requirements of his own produce. 
The decline in market rates has exei-cised a very 
visible effect upon the condition of the Malay coffee 
gardens. The natives, naturally, never anticipated 
that the value of the produce would drop to its 
present figure, and now that it has done so, and 
shows no immediate sign of a return to former 
quotations, they are generally convinced that the 
trees are not worth looking after, and have withdrawn 
much of the little attention which they previously 
paid to the growing plants. Their gardens, for the 
most part, present a neglected and uncared for 
appearance. The cultivation of oolfee is not an in- 
dustry which is well suited to Malays, because the 
trees require careful handling throughout the time 
of their growth, and the Malay understands planting, 
but does not realise what cultivation means. He 
likes to put something in the ground and then to 
sit down and watch it grow, until it is time to 
gather the fruit, leaving the cultivation to nature. 
He therefore succeeds with coconuts, beiielnuts and 
plantains, and it may be that he will be well ad- 
vised to leave coffee alone. 
I again desire to express to the Selangor Planters' 
Association the sense of this Government of the 
valuable work done by their body in 1897. It is, in 
my opinion, a matter of much import that all 
matters affecting the planting interest should be 
freely ventilated and suitably and concisely repre- 
sented to the Government. This is precisely what 
has been done by the Association, whose continued 
effects on behalf of all that affects the agricultural 
development of the State will always be warmly 
seconded and fully appreciated by the officers of Dhe 
administration. 
The attention of planters hai been directed to 
other products besides Liberia a coffee — ramie gnss, 
rubber, and coconuts, having each rcceuei notice. 
I am not aware that the cultivation of ramie has 
yet assumed a practical form, but experiments are 
being made with Para rubber ( Eevea Braziliensis), 
which appears to be the species best adopted for 
cultivation in this part of the world, and excep- 
tionally favourable terms ler tbe acquisition of 
land for this purpose were sanctioned during the year. 
Coconut cultivation has received much stimulus 
from the establishment of the Oil Company's Factory 
at Kuala Selangor, under the management of Mr. 
H. C. Holmes. The natives on the coast, attracted 
by the creation of an assured market, are seriously 
interesting themselves in this form of cultivation, 
and the demand for seed coconuts became so great 
as to cause a noticeable rise in thjir valua. Mr. 
E. V. Carey is now negotiating with Government 
for a large area of laud at Kuila Langat, which 
it is proposed shall be utilised for the same pur- 
pose by an English company. 
Tho cultivation of wet padi ha^ never yet been 
imdertaken on any important scale in Sslangor, and 
there is no doubt that rice is not being grown to 
the extent which it should be. There is plenty of 
land on the coast which is suitable for that purpose 
and for very little else, but ic requires draining in 
some cases and irrigation in others, and the people 
are not generally prepared to make the atter^apt 
unless assisted by Government in the undertaking 
of the preliminary works, and afterwards directed 
and encouraged by the personal influence of an 
officer interested in the task. It is therefore satis- 
factory to record that Mr. A. Hale, the newly ap- 
pointed District Officer of Kuala Selangor, is de- 
voting himself enthusiastically to the development 
of this industry. With the small amount of money 
at his disposal last year he succeeded in getting tho 
people of Jeram to open up and plant the land 
lying between Bukit Panjang and the Klang Road, 
and the work will be much extended with the ad- 
ditional resources available in the current year. I 
visited the land and found the people hopeful and 
industrious, and their work thoroughly well done. 
I am glad to hear, since, that they have been favoured 
with a good harvest. The abnormally high price of 
padi which prevailed during the year caused an 
unusually large amount to be planted last season. 
The harvest is reported to have been generally 
excellent, and the circumstances of the people are 
improved in proportion.— i'?'OHi 3Ir. Belfield's Admi- 
nistration Report for 1897. 
NBW AND OLD PRODUCTS 
IN ZANZIBAR. 
Cocoa. — Great difficulty has been experienced in 
obtaining seeds and plants of Cocoa. Eearly in the 
year 3000 seeds arrived from Ceylon in a completely 
perished condition. In June, 72 plants were received 
from London in Wardian cases but only 34 survived. 
A few pods from Seychelles did weU. 
Kola. — Kola germinates freely and grows well. The 
seed is cheap and easily procured, while the produce 
requires little preparation for the market, being 
merely placed in the sun to dry. Hence, if it can 
be grown at a profit, Kola is more likely to find 
favour with the Arabs than Cocoa, the beans of 
which have to undergo fermentation before being 
ready for market. Kola trees may be planted 20 feet 
apart ; they come into bearing in 4 or 5 years. 
Price in London rule from 4d. to 6d. per lb. If each 
tree yields 50 lb. per annum— a moderate estimate 
as trees have been known to yield up to 150 lb. of 
nuts each— the gross returns, both per tree and per 
acre, would be much larger tbat those now obtained 
from clove plantations, which do not average more 
than 15 lb. of produce per tree, worth 2id. per lb. 
Vanilla. — A small plantation of Vanilla' has been 
made at Dunga and preparations are in course for 
extending the cultivation of this vine. Of the 600 
cutting, planted. 427 survived and are growing fairly 
well. Many were found going rotten at the bottom, 
fron being planted too deeply, and had to betaken 
up and replanted. The vines have been planted 
singly between three live supports, placed in a small 
circle. The Mbono (Castor oil— Curcas purgans) and 
Frangipani make good live siipports and throw out 
rapid shade. Six feet has been allowed between 
each little bed of vanilla. Water is conveyed from 
the well to the plantation — a distance of 300 yards 
—through bamboo pipes. Much care is required both 
in_ the planting and cultivation of this vine, and some 
skill in fertilizing the flowers and ii. harvesting and 
preparing the fruit for market. Por these reasons it 
is doubtful if the industry will take root here among 
the Arabs. A small plantations of Vanilla has been 
made at Tundaun. 
Para Bahber. — Para Rubber shows every indication 
of doing well here. Though the proportion of need 
which germinated in the nursery appears small (174 
out of 9SS) much of the seed wn.3 old and worthless 
when sown, and not excepted to grow. Those that 
came up grew rapidly and. with "the exception of 
three, have all been ti-aasplanted. One hundred and 
fifty were taken to Pemba and planted 25 feet apart 
in one of the sandy swamnv valleys of Tundaua 
Seven out of she 150 (5%). died, but the others 
came away well. Sixteen liave bean planted out in 
the rich alluviil valley that divides the Dunga bank 
from the coral, but some of these have failed. There 
is a Para rubber tre?, 50 feet high and 6* feet in 
circumference, t/rowing at Mbweni on a dry <;andv 
ridge. It was planted by Sir John Kirk and in 
September laat was observed to be flowerin". The 
presence of this tree growing so well in an°unoon- 
genial locality, justifies I think, tha assumption that 
if Para Bubber— tho most valuable of all var'«tiea 
—will pay to grow at all— a point that has no where yot 
been decided — it ought to pay to grow here. 
6V<i)-(i ifi(6!)cc.— The Coara Paibber is just coming 
up and looks extremely healthy. It has been grown 
