3io 
Government to encourage the cultivation of this product, this ques- 
tion is, I think, worthy of special attention. 
Coconuts and 8. Coconuts are particularly adapted to the conditions obtaining 
of Economical * n ^ Native States. These and other oil-producing plants, medi- 
value. cinal plants, pepper, nutmegs, camphor, and, in short, any plant 
of economic value which is likely to succeed here, will form part of 
the collection, and when sufficient stock has been obtained will be 
planted out, and observations as to the best method of cultivation 
and probable return per acre will be made. 
So far as 1 can judge, the work indicated above will, if properly 
carried out, meet to a large extent the requirements of the planters 
of these States. 
I have, etc., 
STANLEY ARDEN, 
SupL, Experimental Plantations . 
The Secretary to the Resident-General, F.M.S. 
Appendix C. 
2nd December , igoi. 
Conditions 
under which 
the trees were 
growing, 
Age and 
dimensions 
Distance 
between the 
trees. 
Sir, — I have the honour to inform you that I visited STiawan (Perak) 
in June last, with the object of conducting some experiments on 
the production and coagulation of the latex of Hevea braziliensis, 
which furnishes the “ Para ” rubber of commerce. These experi- 
ments being as yet incomplete, I do not intend in this report to go 
into details, but merely to give a summary of the work carried out# 
there. 
2. The trees utilised for these experiments were chiefly the 
property of the natives and had been much neglected. I he soil, 
which was dry and sandy and wanting in the necessary constituents 
of plant life, was in places densely covered with "Malang” — fmpc- 
rata cylindrical a vigorous grass which chokes out nearly all other 
vegetation. These conditions had evidently affected the growth 
of the younger trees, for I have measured 3~to4-y ear-old trees in 
other parts of the Native States whose circumference was equal to 
that of trees growing at S’tiawan which were twice the age. 
3. The trees ranged from 7 to 10 years old. The approximate 
height of the 7-year-old trees was 40 to 45 ft. and the average girth 
2 ft. 6 in. measured at 3 ft. from the base. The height of the 10- 
y ear-old trees was 55 to 60 ft., the circumference taken at a yard 
from the base ranging from 3 ft. 6 in. to 5 ft., the average being 
about 4 ft. 
The trees had been planted irregularly, but it was noticed that 
some 9-year-old trees, planted 36 ft. apart, were touching each 
other at the tops. There is a tendency to plant trees much closer 
than this, and I mention this fact to show what amount of space 
this tree will occupy if allowed room to develope itself. 
