Nov. 1, 1898.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 343 
PLANTING IN THE STRAITS. 
MR DOHALD MA.CKAY ON COCOMDTS, 
PEPPER, COFFEE (LIBEUIAN AND 
AEABIAN) AND RUBBER. 
Mr. Mackay is entluisiastic over the prospect 
betore coconut planters in certain divisions of 
the Straits Settlements and from actual ex- 
perience already gained, we confess, he has some 
reason for his strong faith. He expects, bow 
that Liberian coffee has turned out a comparative 
failure (in price even more than cropping), tiiat 
there will be a " rush " to plant up the 
palm instead. The great advantages of the Perak 
State, tor instance,— where the property in 
which Mr. Mackay is interested, is situated — 
over even the South-West coast of Ceylon for 
the coconut, are better soil and bstter-distri- 
buted rainfall. In no montli of the year is an 
appreciable fall of rain wanting in Perak and 
the total is about 120 inches a year. As 
to the soil, a good de.al is alluvial for a 
certain depth with a loose sandy subsoil it 
which the palm gets on well, especially with 
its feedin" roots in the alluvial. The particular 
property referred to-on which 500 acres are now 
planted" with coconuts— is some distance inland, 
and between 100 and 200 feet above sea-level. 
It is favoured with a detached limestone lull 
on one of its boundaries, in the base of which 
are a number of caves, frequented by bats, so 
that there are deposits of natural guano ready 
for future use, a very important matter- -since 
the most experienced palm planter in Ceylon 
has declared that no cultivation responds so 
readily and handsomely to manure as that of 
the coconut. For transport, the estate uses a road 
12 miles to Taipeng, the capital of the State and 
thence there is a railway 8 miles to the seacoast 
at Port Weld ; but in a couple of years the rail- 
way will be up to the plantation. Now for 
actual experience : the first 100 acres planted 
are 5 years old, and although the trees were 
put in only 53 to the acre, already the branches 
cover the soil and the lateral roots are found 
to meet ! Still more convincing is the actual 
crop ot nuts. We do not say that coconut palms 
bearinc in Hve years are unknown in Ceylon ; 
but we scarcely think 100 acies here can be 
pointed to, yielding an average of 20 to 30 
fully formeil nuts per tree at that age. A 
limited number of trees with 100 nuts 
we do not make much of ; because such 
exceptions in particularly favourable spots, or 
where great attention has been given, are not un- 
known wherever the palm has been tried. But, in 
Ceylon, we consider seven to eight years finite time 
enough to look for such returns as apparently 
this "Perak plantation gi\es two years earlier. 
Another profitable product is Peppkr, a.nd 
Mr. Maokay has brought us two interesting 
samples well worth the attention of any in Cej»lon 
thinking of going in for pepper. We have m6re 
than once urged— and we do so with renewed 
force after hearing Mr. iNIackay's expenence-- 
tiiab every estate in the Kelani Valley, Kegalla 
and Labugama districts ought to have same 
pepper and areca (if not coconut) palms added 
to its cultivation. The first sample is of or- 
dinary pepper to shew thi ett'oct of the system 
adopted to clnin and whiten it. The pepper 
is put ill bags and t!ieu placed in the river 
(which runs by the estate) ; when taken out, 
the skin of the peppercorn is so softened and 
loosened as to be readily removable and then 
some <lrying in the sun finishes the process. 
42 
Of this pepper as much as 200 iiicuJs {about 
2.35 cwt. ) have been sliiDped from a crop and 
realizes 9d a lb. But there is another finer and 
smaller pepper, which is .^0 per cent more 
valuable when prepared by a process of "hulling" 
and the result is a tiny seed, less than half 
the size of the ordinary peppercorn. The 
mucilage and skins in both cases, amount to 
about 40 per cent, and are not altogether useless — 
indeed may be shipped sometimes at a profit. 
As to the growing of the pepper vine, not much 
trouble has been ex|ierienced, although four 
years iiavc to elapse before a crop worth gather- 
ing arrives, Mr. Mackay's experience is over 
some 20 acres planted first with Dadap trees 
as supports, but latterly with areca palms inter- 
spersed in some parts witii hard-v/ood posts. The 
white ants, iliough common, have never been 
found to interfere. ■ Tb.e usual distance is 8 by 8 
feet for the arecas ; but this has been found too 
close (as to shade) for the pepper. An areca 
palm and post alternating do well, giving all the 
light necessary for the pepper. Then, recalling tl.'e 
fact that the Dutch IGO years ago got up to 
an annual export of nearly 500,yOJ lb. of Pepper 
— chiefly gatliered in tlse Kegalla, andsonie in the 
Matara, district, is it not a siiame that Ceylon 
should do so little now witli this valuable pro- 
duct, which at present is rising in price in the 
home markets ? How the Sinlnalese came to give 
up the cultivation is very clear: the British 
soon after assuming th.-? administration removed 
the Crown levies from all but Paddy, and looked 
after besides, only cinnamon which remained a 
monopoly; an.1 the Kandyans (and others) find- 
ing that they were no hunger compelled tiirougli 
their headmen to collect and deliver so much 
pepper, as in the time of the Dutch, soon 
neglected the culture altogether. We trust, how- 
ever, the time has now come under European 
direction for a revival of pepper cultivation on a 
considerable scale in the districts favourable to it. 
As regards UuBBiiR, Mr. Mackay h is not much 
to tell us : a certain number of "Para " plants ob- 
tained from Governnisnt Gardens has been planted 
out, and a little done with native lubbcr trees. 
As regard.^ Coffi-.E, Mr. Mackay has seen a good 
deal of Liberian doing very well at the Straits where 
interspersed with coconuts. Sir Grceme Elphinstone, 
who accompanieil Mr. Maekay to Penang, and who 
speaks of going home shortly, has a large extent of 
Arabian as well as some Liberian coffee on his pro- 
pertjMvhicli runs from 1,800 to 2,500 feet altitude. 
" Logic " has indeed plaateil 300 acres since he came 
out three years ago. He has several of his old Cey- 
lon conductors orkanganics (including "Cyclops"); 
and although the fuiignsis not absent, it if not viru- 
lent and is especially light on the Liberian. 
We sincerely trust that Sir Grwine may get a 
due return for his hard work, coutinueil at a 
time of life \\ hen most men avoid anything like 
clearing and i)lanting. 
To return to Mr. Mackay, the est ste with the 
500 acres of coconuts (to yield 4,000 nuts 
per acre at 10 years old- -price at Singapore 
just now about K4,°. per 1,000 !) with a 
certain proportion of Liberinn coflce, areca palms 
and pcpi>er vine-,— is caileil Gapis and the pro- 
prietorship has just been resolved into .a Limited 
Company, "the Kwaia Kwangsa Plantations 
Company, Limited," whose fortunes we shall fol- 
low with interest and whose success will be hojied 
for on account of the plucky itronioter. Mr. 
Mackay has siill planlii g interests in our Kelani 
Valley and we hope he will encourage the culture 
of Pepper of the bast tyi>e in that district. 
