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furnished, and when the experiments which have already been 
initiated have yielded resuits. 
The Association confidently hopes that in the future this Dapart- 
ment may, when properly equipped, prove of great help in the 
progress of the profitable cultivation of rubber and other products. 
Rubber. 
The opening up of new estates has been vigorously prosecuted 
during the ye^r, and the programme for 1907 is based on the 
maximum that can be undertaken with the available labour supply. 
Our latest census returns show that there are 52, 43 *acres in 
cultivation in the Federated Malay States of which 49,033 are 
under rubber. The total area of land in private hands is 153,150 
acres, and in most cases estates reserves are being planted up as 
quickly as circumstances permit. 
The full returns as far as collected by the Association are em- 
bodied in this report. 
The output for the year which amounted to 37 6J tons, is very 
much in excess of the estimate, and there now appears to be little 
doubt that the yield from cultivated rubber will be very much 
greater than was anticipated a short time ago. 
During the year the Federated Malay States have kept well in 
the foreground as regards improved methods of rubber curing, and 
great credit is duetto Air- Pears of Lanadron Estate, a member 
of your Association, for having lead the way in the preparation of 
block rubber, which there is every indication, will prove to be the 
form in which all our rubber will be eventually turned out. 
An uniform method of output will be of the greatest advantage 
to the whole of the producing interest, and it is to be hoped that 
it will soon be definitely known in which form the trade prefer to 
deal in our rubber. 
Very large exports of seed have been made during the year to 
Java, Sumatra and other neighbouring States. 
Your Committee are glad to report that no serious pest has yet 
made its appearance on Hevea Brasiliensis and it is to be hoped 
that the first appearance of any pest will be at once reported to 
the Agricultural Department. 
Ficus elastica on some estates suffered from a very severe attack 
of caterpillars and there seems to be little doubt that this variety 
of the rubber yielding trees is less suitable to our climate than the 
Hevea; through being more liable to insect pests, and to its having 
so far yielded very disappointing results from tapping as compared 
with those obtained from Hevea. 
Land Tenure. 
This question continues to be watched with the greatest distrust 
by all, who are interested in the Planting Industry. 
* The Director of Agriculture's returns show 69,507 acres as planted. 
