220 
which often reduces its damage to insignificance. Such a case is re- 
corded from Hawaii where the local blackberry ( Rubus ) which over- 
run the islands and become a nuisance, was found to be attacked by a 
fungus Clypeosphoeria and to be dying out, and attempts are to be 
made to destroy this plant everywhere by infecting it with the fungus. 
The report concludes with the report of the department of 
animal industry. Altogether the work of the year is very creditable. 
The staff of the departments comprise six officials for forestry 
and botanical work, eleven for entomology and fruit inspection, seven 
for the animal industry and three on the clerical staff, altogether 
27 Europeans working under five Commissioners. The expenditure is 
about 43.000 dollars (American)per year. 
AGRICULTURE IN BRITISH NORTH BORNEO. 
Rubber and tobacco have been the chief objects of attention, but 
there are signs of an awakening interest in coconuts. 
Rubber. 
Para rubber still holds the field, only a very few acres being 
devoted to other varieties. The system of clean weeding has been 
generally adopted in preference to the use of catch crops and weed- 
killers, except in the Interior where Passiflora has been found very 
successful. No serious outbreak of disease has been reported. Work 
was started on 7 new Estates on the West Coast during the year. 
Sekong and Sapong shipped rubber and obtained prices near the top 
of the market. Woodford and Beaufort commenced tapping. 54, 
631 lbs. of Estate rubber were shipped from the State, of which Sekong 
accounts for 49,000 lbs. 
Tobacco, 
Tobacco was planted on 12 Estates. The crop on the whole is 
leported as satisfactory and prices since received by telegram have 
been good. A total of 14,819 bales was exported as against 15,672 
bales in 1909. Kudat shipped 1,360 bales less than in 1909, but the 
figures for two consecutive years vary relatively according to whether 
part of a crop is shipped in December instead of January. Native 
tobacco trade has been normal. 
Pacli. 
Although statistics are not available, it is reported that a smaller 
acreage than usual was placed under padi. This is no doubt due to 
the fact that the extension of rubber planting has attracted a large 
number of villagers to work on Estates. The Commissioner of Lands 
deplores the decrease, and advocates serious attention being paid by 
Government to this industry. Although the country is capable of 
producing far more than enough rice for all local requirements, the 
trade returns shew that 185,000 pikuls of rice, flour and grain (the 
bulk of the total being rice) were imported. 
