3ii 
In former years in travelling through Malacca vast fields of 
lalang were one of the most prominent features of the landscape. No 
planter would take up such ground as the expense of extirpating the 
grass was too great, and meanwhile this useless area was extending. 
Now, however, circumstances have changed and this land, on which 
there has been no timber for many years, has been found to be free 
of the underground fungi injurious to Hevea trees, and is being taken 
up on account of this advantage. 
The clause in Statutory grants requiring permanent cultivation 
on land taken up has stopped the development of new areas of lalang, 
and as the old lalang fields are succumbing to the wave of rubber 
cultivation, the lalang grass will end in becoming a rare plant in 
Malacca. — E d. 
AGRICULTURE IN THE NATIVE STATES 
IN 1909. 
The Annual Government Report for 1909 gives an interesting 
and important account of the progress of Agriculture in the Federated 
Malay States during the year, out of which we extract the following 
statistics and notes : 
AGRICULTURE. 
Area under Cultivation. 
The Director of Agriculture puts the area under cultivation in 
the Federated Malay States at 353,389 acres, divided as follows: — 
Perak 
Selangor 
Negri Scmbilan ... 
Pahang 
1 33.950 acres. 
125,623 „ 
75,204 „ 
18,612 „ 
Total ... 353,389 acres. 
an increase of 33,66/ acres. 
This acreage, which excludes pacli and horticulture, was planted 
as follows : — 
Coconuts ... 
Rubber 
Coffee 
Other Cultivation 
123,815 acres. 
196,953 n 
5,885 .. 
26,736 „ 
Total ... 353,389 acres. 
