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diseases, and pests to which the various cultures of the country are 
liable. We regret that so far Government has not appointed an 
Analyst or Chemist, an appointment recommended by the deputa- 
tion which it " His Excellency the High Commissioner when first 
he visited Seiangor in 1904- Now that Mr. P. J. BURGESS, former- 
ly Government Analyst to the Straits Settlements, has resigned, the 
services of a practical Analytical Chemist are all the more needful. 
Burgess Mission. 
During the past year Mr. BURGESS has visited Europe and his 
Report has been published in the Agricultural Bulletin for Decem- 
ber. We must express our surprise that its essential points were 
not communicated to your Association before they were given to 
the world in the columns of a Ceylon Newspaper. The Report is 
extremely interesting and the drawbacks to cultivated Hevea men- 
tioned therein are only such as time will overcome and in the opinion 
of your Committee there is practically nothing in it to cause dis- 
quietude in the minds of investors. The best methods for treating 
Latex and drying the rubber etc. are still in process of elaboration, 
and Mr. BURGESS’ Reportshould very considerably elucidate points 
that are at present still in the elementary stage. Your Committee 
feel sure that the rubber planters of the Malay Peninsula will still 
retain their keenness for arriving at the best economical methods of 
treating their produce. 
Experimental Gardens. 
We have not yet received the Government Report upon the 
Experimental Gardens at Batu Tiga, the delay being doubtless due 
to the fact that Mr. Stanley Ardf.n, the Superintendent of the 
Gardens, has resigned his appointment. We understand that 
experiments have been made in growing Rubber at various eleva- 
tions, and we trust that Government will continue these valuable 
experiments. It would appear to you all a retrograde policy should 
Government now abandon a project which was originally started at 
the instigation of the Association, solely for the temporary want of 
a man who can readily be replaced, and we confidently look to the 
Director of Agriculture to develope these experimental gardens 
which must in time prove of great value alike to Natives and to 
Europeans ; and a reference to the last U. P. A. Annual Report 
containing excerpts from Mr. WILLIS’ Report is sufficient to shew 
the value of such gardens. 
Exhibitions. 
The Director of Agriculture has done good work in initiating local 
exhibitions, (so far only one however has been held) which would 
induce a healthy competition amongst Natives. 
Your Members. have assisted at all the Annual Shows held at Kuala 
Lumpur, Penang and in Liverpool, and we feel sure that they will 
equally assist at the Singapore Exhibition to be held in August. A 
very large representative Exhibition of Rubber from various parts of 
the world is to be held at Kandy, Ceylon, in September, and we 
trust that all Members will assist in showing specimens of what the 
Malay Peninsula produces. 
& 
