758 
THE TROPICAL 
AGRICULTURIST. 
[May 2, 1904. 
EUBBER PLANTING IN THE MALAY 
STATES. 
Regarding rubber planting in the Federated 
Malay States and in Ceylon Mr. Sidney Parry, of 
Selangor, writes as follows to the I. B. Journal: — 
In these days, when one hears so much of the 
backwardness of English enterprise, it is particu- 
larly encouraging to find an intelligent effort be- 
ing made to bring the preparation of rubber to its 
highest possible state of perfection. Those of us 
planters who range ourselves with the forward 
movement will in time reap the benefit of our 
efforts. It would be to the benefit of planters in 
the Federated Malay States if we could secure the 
services of such a practical chemist as Dr Weber 
to demonstrate to us the benefit of treating our 
rubber in the method he suggests. The chemical 
analysis of rubber and Dr Weber's methods of des- 
troying the albuminous matter have already been 
brought to our notice by article in the " Agricul- 
tural Bulletin," written by Mr Burgess, the 
Government analyst to the Straits Settlements 
Government, who has done some interesting ex- 
periments and, [ believe, is continuing his inves- 
tigations. It remains to be seen whether planters, 
as a whole, will take advantage of these experi- 
ments. There are some leading planters who are 
content to say : " \ye are getting the highest 
price with our present methods, why trouble fur- 
ther ? " I venture to contend that this is not the 
true English spirit, which should always seek to 
attain the highest level. The Dutch indigo planters 
in Java have set our Indian indigo planters 
a very good example. To my certain knowledge, 
finding that they, like the Indian planters, were 
being beaten by the chemicil dyes, they engaged 
a renowned chemist to teacii them how to treat 
their indigo. They engaged his services for four 
years at a salary, f believe of £1,000 a year, and 
as a result are now growing indigo at a profit. 
The time will come sooner or later when the pre- 
sent high prices of crude lubber will decline, and 
then the best and [purest rubber must come out 
on top. 
PROPER PREPARATION OF THE RUBBER. 
The chief question seems to be how to 
properly prepare the rubber economically 
and on a commercial basis. I understand 
that even nou some rubber manufacturers 
are buying on chemical analysis (taking into con- 
sideration, of course, the strength of the rubber), 
and it is to b-i hoped that others will soon do so 
too. The Straits and Malay Peninsula have been 
addaitted by Ceylon planters to be even more 
adapted than Ceylon for the growth of Para 
rubber — in that the girth growth per year exceeds 
that of Ceylon. According to official reports there 
are 16,000 acres under rubber in the Malay States, 
and in Ceylon some 11,000. I understand that 
Ceylon is ahead slightly in age, and it is from 
Ceylon planters that we Malay States planters 
have to learn much as to tapping, etc. 
DISTANCE FOR PLANTING. 
Opinions are still divided with us in the Malay 
States as to the distance most suitable for plant- 
ing Para rubber, some favouring close planting 10 
by 10, others choosing 20 by 20, others 30 
by 30. Those who are fortunate enough lo have 
trees of sixteen years (there being a few trees on 
three estates) may possibly wonder what room 
there will be for trees that have been closely 
planted. Time, however, will alone prove this 
disputed point, as well as the relative merits of 
upcountry or low-country soils. Though there 
are a considerable number of estates under rubber 
upcountry — not necessarily high lands or steep 
lands — but far removed from the sea, the largest 
acreage is at Klang, which has rich, peaty soil, 
and has a well deserved reputation for its coffee- 
bearing capabilities. 
In the main, the Para rubber estates were 
COFFEE ESTATES ORIGINALLY, 
and on coffee proving an uncommercial succes?, 
the planters started planting up rubber thiough 
them. A certain number of estates liave been 
opened up as purely rubber estates, — coffee, how- 
ever, being planted as a catch crop, with the 
intention of eventually cutting it out. The 
climate is, on the whole, healthy, the chief draw- 
back to health being the even temperature, a 
mean of about 82 deg. F, so that there is little 
chance of recruiting after serious illness. The 
nights are providentially very cool. 
I understand that a considerable additional area 
has been opened up this year, and more land is 
likely to be developed. There seems from all 
figures to hand, however, to be 
LITTLE FEAR OF OV^ER-PRODUCTION, 
and if it is true that the lower the price the more 
the consumption, prices will steady themselves 
automatically. He would be a rash man who 
undertook to say what it will cost to lay down a 
ton of rubber in London, for at present none of 
us in the Malay States have sufficient experience 
to judge of the cost of tapping, curing, etc., 
on a large scale ; but a recently- floated com- 
pany takes the cost (including cultivation) at 1- 
rupee— 67 cents per lb on a basis of a 2s dollar. 
We can only hope that the cultivation of 
rubber in the Malay States will prove the gold- 
mine that is expected, and that our hopes may 
not, as in so many other instances, be dashed to 
the ground. Those who went through the cin- 
chona and coffee boom in Ceylon and the Malay 
States may well hesitate to count their chickens. 
All we can do is to help each other to produce the 
finest rubber in the market, and it seems to me 
that the International Kubber Planters' Asso- 
ciation will do nothing but good in helping us to 
become easily acquainted with the latest exper 
information. M. SIDNEY PARRY. 
TROUT IN THE NILGIEIS. 
It is many years since trout were first introduced 
into the streams and lakes in the neighbourhood 
of Ootacamund. Sportsmen spent much money in 
putting down fry, and ova also were placed in 
various rivers. It does not, however, appear that 
any definite system of hatching the ova was 
attempted until the time of the late Mr JKhodes 
Morgan, who established a hatchery near Snovrdon 
House, and was veiy successful in the number of 
fry which he turned out. Later on, Mai'or Grant' 
V c, went in enthusiastically for hatching, and 
turned out thousands of fry, which were placed, it 
is believed, in every river, stream, lake, reservoir or 
pond within a radius of a dozen miles of Ootaca- 
mund. Although Major Grant reported the 
existence of many fry in various streams, it will 
suffice to say that at the present time no one can 
