432 
clown and at Pekan they were not quite so clean but this 
was on account of the owners being lately at work in the 
padi fields. 
x\t Kuala Pahang the plantations were not altogether 
satisfactory, and the Sub- Inspector was instructed to give 
these kampongs strict and more frequent supervision. 
Towkay Poke Yew’s plantation is much improved, but 
the soil is very poor, and the trees must be thoroughly 
manured before they can make any really good progress in 
growth. This, I am glad to say, is now being done. 
At Kuan tan the upkeep of the kampongs was satis- 
factory. 
The dry disease, referred to in my previous reports, 
has not been very serious this year. It resembles very 
closeh the “Coconut Bleeding Disease” as in Ceylon. The 
Sub-Inspector sent up parts of one of the affected trees to 
the Government Mycologist for examination, but from 
these specimens he could arrive at no definite conclusion, 
and states that it will be necessary to examine the trees on 
the spot, which lie will do on the first available opportunity. 
Copra. — I am indebted to the Commissioner of Trade 
and Customs for tlie following statement giving the export 
of copra from the States during the year: 
49,016 pikuls 
20,879 
Perak 
Selangor . . 
Pahang 
Negri Sembilan 
659 
285 
ail increase of over 21,000 pikuls as compared with 1907. 
Quotations for the articles have varied from $6.50 to $S 
per pikul during the period under review, and 1 should say 
that $7.25 per pikul may be taken as the average price. 
The copra manufactured on the European-owned es- 
tates was of excellent quality and fetched top prices in the 
market. On the other hand, I regret to say, that the copra 
produced from the native holdings was very inferior and 
appears to he going from bad to worse. This may be ac- 
counted for to some extent by the fact that the Malays in 
some localities are converting the nuts into copra them- 
selves, instead of selling them to the Chinese, as formerly. 
The latter are by no means adept in the trade, but they 
certainly are not so slovenly or careless in the process as 
the Malays. Perhaps the worst feature of the case is that 
the Malays, in order to get as much produce as possible, 
