AGRICULTURAL BULLETIN 
OF THE 
STRAITS 
AND 
FEDERATED MALAY STATES. 
No l.j JANUARY, 1910, [Vol. IX 
A PEAT-SOIL NOTE. 
We recently received from Pontianak two samples 
of a peaty soil in which rubber had been planted. The 
planter reported that the trees at 2 y 2 years averaged 
5*59 inches in circumference at 3 feet from the ground, 
which is decidedly small, but the trees were healthy 
though under-sized, and a good many seedlings had 
died. 
The soil sent consisted exclusively of decayed wood 
and leaves ; not a particle of sand or stone was visible. 
I asked Mr. Dent, the Government Analyst, to examine 
the samples with a view of finding out what amount of 
mineral matter there was in this class of soil, which 
resembled exactly that obtained from Johore, and des- 
cribed in previous accounts of the peat-soils. 
Of the two samples A was taken from the top of the 
ground to about 8 inches depth, and B about three feet 
down. The owner of the land states that the soil seems 
to be similar to this for 1 5 to 20 feet depth, and that the 
whole soil on exposure has sunk a good deal. 
In appearance, the two samples were much the same 
except that the top soil was wetter, and the fragments 
\> of wood less decomposed, as might be expected. 
