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“Whereas it is provided by “The Destructive Pests Ordinance 
1908” that the Governor in Council may from time to time make 
such Orders as may to the Governor in Council appear expedient 
for preventing the introduction into the Colony of any insect, fungus 
or other pest destructive to agricultural or horticultural crops, or to 
trees, or plants and for preventing the spreading in the Colony of any 
such insect, fungus, or other pest” 
“AND WHEREAS information has been received to the effect 
that a disease of the coconut palm, believed to be the disease known as 
“WHITE FLY” (Aleyrodicus destructor) has apppeared among 
coconuts in the Philippines Islands.” 
“NOW, THEREFORE the Governor in Council in exercise of 
the powers conferred on him by the aforesaid Ordinance prohibits 
until further notice the landing in the Colony of any palms, alive or 
dead, or any stems or foots or parts of stems or roots of palms or of 
any products of palms other than such as are expressly exempted 
from the operation of this Order, from the Philippine Islands, and 
authorizes the destruction of any such article, if landed in the Colony 
from the Philippine Island. This Order does not apply to dried copra 
or to oil expressed from coconuts.” 
(Sd.) M. S. H. McArthur, 
Clerk of Councils. 
Council Chamber, 
Singapore, 28th May, 1912. 
THE CASTOR OIL PLANT. 
Having received enquiries from Planters as to the suitability or 
otherwise of the Castor Oil Plant as a “ Catch Crop ” for Rubber, it 
may be helpful to others with like ideas, if a few of the details of this 
plant are enumerated for their guidance. 
The Castor Plant ( Ricinus communis) is probably well known to 
many Planters in the Peninsula, as scattered plants are generally to 
be found growing round Tamil Coolie Lines, the coolies sowing a few 
seeds in order to obtain the oil from the plants thus sown. 
Belonging to the Natural Order Euphorbia ceae, it is thus related 
Hevea brasiliensis and many other plants yielding valuable oil seeds. 
It is generally believed to have been originally a native of North 
Africa, but the plant is now largely cultivated throughout the world, 
in Tropical and sub-tropical and occasionally in Temperate regions. 
It is said to occasionally attain a height of from 20 to 30 feet, but 
it rarely if ever attains a larger size than from 5 to 7 feet in the 
Peninsula. 
