Sept. 1, 1903.J THE TROPICAL AGRICULTUlilST. 205 
COCONUT PALM PROTECTION: 
ARE WE TO LEGISLATE AS IN THE 
MALAY STATES? 
A COMMISSION KEQUIUED. 
When the enactment came into force in 
the Malay States (which We reproduce below 
at the request of the Batticaloa Coconut 
planters), and an Inspector of Coconut Trees 
was appointed, we wrote as follows: — 
We quite envy the ready way in which Sir 
Frederick Swettenham and his subordinate ad- 
ministrators go ahead with up-to-date legislation, 
and profit by the experience and, too oftau, the 
dilatoriness ot Ceylon. The Straits is the first 
Crown Colony to treat the proceeds of Land Sales 
as a capital fund, apart from current revenue, for 
the promotion of roads, bridges and other public 
works, and very notable are the results. Than 
how often in Ceyloa have we called for some action 
to protect the natives a;»ainst their own indolence 
and indifference in respect of the state of their 
coconut gardens ? 
We are quite aware that there may be more 
difficulties in the way of such legislation 
being applied to all the coconut districts of 
Ceylon, than has been the case in the 
Straits. But apart altogether from the 
grievance of planters (whether European or 
Ceylonese) who do h)ok after their clearings 
and cultivate and tend them properly, we have 
been convinced for more than thirty years 
back that some measure was urgently 
required in the very best interests of the 
native owners of coconut gardens through- 
out the island. The specially troublesome 
case is, of course, where beetles are freely 
allowed to infest native-owned trees and 
to breed and breed and fly away to do 
very great damage in the adjacent carefully 
tended plantation. We have seen this 
happen again and again ; and common 
equity should give the proprietor so pestered, 
the power to enter on the neglected adja- 
cent garden and exterminate tiie beetles at 
the expense of his lazy neighbour, making 
the outlay a first charge on the garden 
cleared up. Bnt villagers are also greatly 
injured; and here is an instance from Batti- 
caloa : — 
For instance the village of Timitar where there 
were about 50 acres of fine coconut trees about 
(4 to 6 years old) five years ago, there is now only 
one solitary coconu!) tree remaining and the 
whole village has abandoned the gardens and 
migrated' elsewhere. 
Without at all being enamoured of Com- 
missions "— tlTe more we know of them, the 
less we are inclined to multiply them as a 
rule ;— yet the present case in regard to the 
island interests as a whole in Coconuts, is 
one pre-eminently calling, we think, for the 
appointment of a Commission to make a 
Report on how far the Straits law is applic- 
able to Ceylon, and wiiat further points, 
should be embodied in a local Ordinance 
with reference to the improvement of this 
most important branch of the island's Agri- 
culture. The Governor has no lack ot ex- 
perienced and shrewd proprietors and planters 
of Coconuts fi'om whom to choose the ua- 
2& 
official side of such a Commission in, for 
instance, — Messrs. W, H. Wright, W. 
Jardine, P. Beven, de Soysa, de Mel, to- 
gether with representatives from Batticaloa, 
Jaffna, and perhaps, the Southern Province. 
A selection of four unofficial membero from 
these, (the rest being prepared to give evi- 
dence) in association with as many Agents 
and Assistant Agents from the principal 
coconut-growing districts, could not fail to 
make a strong and useful Commission to 
inquire into and report on a very important 
subject. 
FEDERATED MALAY STATES : STATE OF 
SELANGOR. 
Enactment 4 of 1898. 
AN ENACTMENT FOR THE PROTECTION OP 
COCONUT TREES PRESERVATION. 
1. This enactment may be cited as the ooconnt 
trees preservation enactment, 1898, and shall come 
into force upon the publication thereof in the Gazette, 
2. The owners of all coconat trees attacked by 
beetles are required to clear the trees of thesa 
insects within one month of being served with a uotico 
fiom the Collector of Land Revenue Knla Lumpur or 
District Officer of the district in which such trees 
are situated. 
3. It shall be the duty of the owner or person in 
charge of every coconut tree which is dead or attacked 
bsyond recovery by either of the beetles described in 
the schedule forthwith to uproot such tree and either 
to consume it with fire or to bury it in the ground 
at a depth of not less than three feet so that the 
beetle and all eggs and larvae therefore may be totally 
destroyed and that the tree may not serve as a 
breeding place for any or either of the beetles in the 
schedule meulioued. 
4. All coconut trees in each makim shall be periodi- 
cally iaspected by the penghulu o£ the mukim who 
shall report to the Collector of Land Revenue Kuala 
Lumpur, or the District Officer or sucn other officer 
as the resident may appoint in that behalf such 
trees as are infected with the beetles and in every oaae 
where an infected tree has been ordered by the Col- 
lector of Land Revenue or such other officer as tija 
aforesaid to be cleaned, cut down, burned or buried 
in the manner laid down in the preceding section the 
penghulu shall see that such order ia carried out. 
o. If any person without reasonable excuse (the 
burden of proof whereof shall lie on the accused) 
neglects or refuses to perform the duty imposed. upon 
him by section 2 or 3 he shall be liable on conviction 
before a magistrate to a fine not exceeding two dollars 
for every tree in respect of which such neglect or 
refusal occurs and the Collector of Land Revenue 
Kuala Lumpur or District Officer or such other 
officer as the Resident may appoint.in that behalf 
may cause to be performed the duty so neglected or 
refused to be performed and may recover the cost of 
such performance from the defaulter in any civil 
court having jurisdiction in the matter, 
6. If any person keep on his premises dead coconut 
trees or stumps or coconut timber rubbish heaps or 
other accumulatious of dang vegetable refuse or other 
matter which would be likely to harbour or become 
breeding places for the said beetles and neglects or 
refuses to remove or destroy the same when required 
so to do by a notice in wiiciug from the Collector of 
Land Revenue or the District OiHcar or such other 
officer as aforesaid he shall be liable to a tine not 
exceeding 25 dollars and the saii Cjllector of Land 
Revenue or District Officer or other officer may causa 
such trees stumps timber rubbish heaps or other 
accamalAtions to be removed or destroyed aad ma; 
