554 
dfy season up there which often dries up ' the young branches and 
no doubt adversely injures the yield of the trees. 
I have also heard it whispered that the theft of rubber during 
the tapping operations is enormous, it being very easy for the 
natives to do this without detection ; especially so as the surround- 
*£ jungles- contain indigenous trees in native territory Jf this 
was not so, what occasion to use coal tar to mark the Government 
tapping cuts? but it is easy tor the- native to use tar also nerhans 
that has not struck the Indian Government ^ 
A thi " k j ment, '° n that the Indian Government tried what 
they called the nature treatment ” of Rambong and planted a 
large area of forest land up m the branches of trees. I saw a 
number of these plants still where they had been placed over 
twenty years previously, but as far as I remember in only one case 
had the roots reached the ground. I think the reason was they 
sent out tender aerial roots which each dry season withered up and 
died oft so that every rainy s-ason they had to make fresh efforts 
winch was never successful from say a height of 40 feet The 
plant I mentioned as growing into the ground” had been planted in 
a fork only about 9 feet above ground. 
The planting of large plants 10 to 12 feet high oh mounds is 
unnecessary here if the area is clear felled and kept moderately 
clean as we have very few deer to eat up the plants. 
Yours faithfully, 
A. B. STEPHENS. 
LABOUR SUPPLY. 
Vallambrosa Estate, Klang, 
CIRCULAR- Seiangor, F. M. S„j 9 th September, i 9 oe . 
Dear Sir, — 1 have been directed by my Committee to circulate 
the following letter from the Protector of Labour, Federated Malay' 
States, and to ask you to let me have an early reply to the questions 
contained therein : — . 1 
I am, dear Sir, 
Yours faithfully, 
HERBERT M. DARBY, 
Hon. Secretary, U.P.A., F.MS. 
Office of Protector of Labour, F.MS. 
p . 0 - L; twt , Seremban, joth June, /p02. 
To the Secretary, 
United Planters’ Association, Kajang. 
Sir,— I should be obliged if you will inform me (T) how many 
Indian labourers the members of your Association require before the 
30th June next, probably; (2; if your members are prepared to have 
any fixed number allotted to them should the Government be able 
