THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
49 
July i, 1897.] 
PLANTING PROSPECTS IN BRITISH 
NORTH BORNEO : 
ESTIMATE FOR LIBERIAN COFFEE. 
As we metitioned already Mr. Henry Walker, 
Commissioner of Lands, Britisli North Borneo, 
Avho arrived at Colomho recently by the German 
mail steamer “Prenssen,” made a stay of about 
three weeks in the island, principally for the pur- 
pose of atfordini' information to planting capi- 
talists regarding tlie prospects in that settlement. 
Soon after his arrival, Mr. Walker left for Kurune- 
gala on a visit to friends, but before he took his de- 
parture he kindly favoured us with a few notes 
which we think will be read with interest by our 
readers. He mentioned that some very important 
enterprise, s are now being energetically pushed 
in North Borneo by monied Companies or Syndi- 
cates, notably the' Railway (by the Government) 
from the Coast to the, as yet, unopened interior. 
With regard to the tobacco enterprise he said that 
the crop of 1898 now going to Europe will be 
12,000 bales of 188 lb. each and the prices realized 
this year in Amsterdam, are 50 per cent 
higher'than last year (which were considered high). 
The timber trade with China is increasing and 
the Bombay-Burmah Trading Company propose 
to lay down a large saw mill. As the wood 
there is suitable for tea boxes a large trade may 
be done with Ceylon. Petroleum oil is being 
sought for and the Bombay-Burmah Trading 
Company lately sent 100 tons of boring plant 
to North Borneo. Oil is known to exist at two 
places and it is hoped a large quantity niay 
be found to exist. The exports of coal from 
Labuan and Bremer Bay are increasing -say 4,000 
to 6,000 tons per month. It is used by the 
P. (fe O. Company who lately made a contract 
for 10,000 tons— and it is understood they are 
satisfied. From a circular prepared by Mr. W alker 
we are permitted to make the following extracts 
We have a well divided rainfall, and, consequently, 
although it is heavy, say from 70 to 120 inches per 
annum, the effects are not so disastrous as in those 
tropical countries where the rainfall is limited to a 
few months of the year and the daily fall is so 
great as to wash away all the humus, and, further, 
our rooks, including lime-stones, serpentines fmd 
conglomerates, ai'e naturally rich in substances suitable 
to vegetation, and, when evaded, afford a suitable 
soil for tea, coffee, sugar, cinchona, gambicr, coco- 
nuts, Arc., all of wiiich (except cinchona) have been 
tried with success either experimentally or on a largo 
scale, and as onr hill lands run up to a height of 
over IB, 000 feet, we can offer the intending planter 
the prospect of making a home in a cool and invi- 
gorating climate. . 
I believe we now offer better prospects of financial 
success than any other tropical country. At present 
we are willing to make free grants of 500 acres on 
a 999 years’ lease to encourage the planting of cer- 
tain products, provided that the intending investor 
has £2,000 capital and will make a hona fide com- 
mencement to bring such land under cnltiyation 
within 18 months from the date of the selection of 
the land and that he will bring one-third of the 500 
acres under cultivation within 12 years from the date of 
the agreement for a lease. Should he fail to culti- 
vate one-third of the 500 acres he will be only en- 
titled to retain 2 acres of jungle for each acre cul- 
tivated; hut if he desires to retain the balance of 
the .500 acres he can do so by paying 20 cents )-’6nt 
per acre or purchase such balance at three dollars 
per acre. . , -r. 
The CniTency in use is British North Borneo in 
the Mexican dollar, which since 1894 has fluctuated 
in value between 1/111 and 2/lJ. The average rate 
of pay on the estates, including the Mandore (ca.n- 
gany) is between 27 to 29 cents a day. The coolies 
employed are Javanese, with advances and Malays 
7 
or varieties of the Malay race, with or without ad- 
vances as the case may be. On Ulanpakad Estate, 
now being opened iiy Mr. E. E. Walker (late 
of Le Vallon Estate) the coolies employed are ob- 
tained on the spot, and the advances outstanding at 
the end of each month are under two dollars a head, 
and at Toritipan Estate with a force ©f over 200 
coolies of mixed nationalities, the total advances are 
nsuejly under |1,000 or less than $5, a head, which 
amount is not guaranteed by the Mandore, but is adebt, 
due by each individual cooly. The Javanese and 
Malays from Singapore usually sign to work a year 
and receive #12, or even #18 ahead repayable in equal 
monthly instalments: the locally engaged coolies 
work on a verbal agreement terminable by a month’s 
notice, and receive two or perhaps three dollars 
advance, which is really a cash advance to obtain 
food, and is deducted at the end of the month if the 
Manager thinks fit. 
Food supplies are paid for by the coolie=, or each 
W’eek a chit is granted by the Manager for a small 
sum which is accepted by authorized shops, where 
food is supplied at fixed rates, of which a scale in 
English, Malay and Chinese is hung up on the door 
of the shop. The transport acquired by the Estate 
is done by the shopman. 
In 1895 I constructed a trial path from the west 
coast to the interior, where there is a large native 
population, and since I left (in May, 1896) a Railway 
(metre guage) has been taken in hand, following 
much the same lineof country. TheRailway line when 
finished will be about 52 miles long with the upper 
terminus (altitude 600 feet) at the foot of a range 
of hills running up to 3,400 feet with good soil and 
well watered. The Railway works now afford em- 
ployment to a large number of Chinese and natives, 
and, when completed, a large body of well-disciplined 
labourers will be available for the planting industry, 
A planter can now obtain work-people — men, women 
and children — near the line of Railway. He must, 
however, be able to speak Malay, a language easily 
acquired, and he must follow the customs of the 
country ; if he cannot accustom himself to these he 
had better not come. 
I give below an estimate of the cost of opening 
100 acres of Liberian Coffee which works out (at the 
end of the third year) at something less than £16 
sterling per acre. Tne figures were given me by a 
Coffee Planter in British North Borneo, and are 
based on rates and wages as now paid. I have ap- 
pended a few remarks on the items showing Where 
a managing proprietor may economise, and a little 
examination of the estimate will show that £12 per 
acre should suffice and that a second lOOacres could 
be pi, anted for about £10 an acre. I should also 
mention the fact that the expenditure is becoming 
less and less each year. 
Estimate of cost (in dollars) of opening 100 acres 
of Liberian Coffee in British North Borneo. 
Present rate of Exchang 2s. per dollar 
Superintendence, say 12 months at # 150 
per month .. .. .. 1,800 
Felling 100 acres at # 2'60 .. .. 2.50 
Piling and burning „ 3’50 . . . . 350 
Lining „ I'OO . . . . 100 
Holing 43,500 holes 2 ft. by 1ft. 6 in. 435 
(10ft. by 10ft.) at 1 cent.. .. 652 
Filling and planting at IJ cts. per hole. . 
Shading at 75 ,, per acre . . 75 
Supplying . . . . . . 100 
Nurseries and seed — N.B. — The seed 
should be obtained from a high estate 
in estate in Ceylon or India . . 300 
Weeding 6 months at 90 cents per acre 
per month . . . . . . 540 
Roads and Drains .. .. 1,000 
Lines, 2 sets , . . . . . 150 
Bungalow . . . . . . 500 
Tools . . . . . . 250 
Contingencies . . . . . . 500 
Cost at end of 1st year . , # 7,002 
