Return. A sum of $51.89 was expended in the purchase of new 
roses, which arrived in perfect condition and will be planted when 
established. Flower and vegetable seeds cost $25.22, 
Coconut Trees Preservation. 
15. The number of notices issued in connection with infected 
trees and manure not properly stored amounted to 755. 
Fortunately for this Settlement beetles are the only pest and the 
dreaded Bud-Rot has not appeared ; but the area to be inspected is 
far too large for one Inspector, and a Sub-Inspector is allowed for 
next year. 
There were nine prosecutions in Penang and four in Province 
Wellesley. The fines inflicted amounting to $15.50 only. I strongly 
think this leniency will result in more unnecessary work for the 
Inspectors and the real work of inspection will fall into arrears. 
It may not seem a serious breach of the Ordinance for a small foot 
bridge or fence of coconut stems to be used and in solitary instances 
there would not be any danger of maintaining breeding grounds for 
the beetles, but if every one so utilized their fallen stems (and this 
is done in Province Wellesley far too rnuqh) an additional danger 
in this direction would exist, as the attention of the Inspectors would 
be divided between unburied stems and standing trees. 
General. 
16. 1 attended the Agri-Horticultural Show held at Kwala 
Kangsar in August and took charge of the Penang exhibits. 1 here 
were 122 exhibitors and 700 entries in 168 classes. The Settlement 
was very successful and carried off 48 first prizes, 24 second prizes, 
7 third prizes, and 3 exhibits were highly commended. 
Excepting horticulture (plants and flowers) all the large divisions 
were well represented, and while there is a general consensus of 
opinion as to the educational and other advantages of such shows, 
there does not appear to be any probability of a higher or other 
standard forthcoming. To effect a change in the present practice 
of agriculture I suggest that the best prospect of improvement lies 
in the encouragement and assistance of school gardens as is done 
in the West Indies and Ceylon. Without such early teaching the 
market gardener will fail to realize that quality may be made or 
modified by selection and varied cultivation, and the small coconut 
planter will proceed on the same lines as hitherto, waiting years for 
a crop instead of being profitably engaged in cultivating as catch 
crops, citronella or lemon-grass oils, improving his property and at 
the same time assisting to build up a large oil industry. A larger 
demand for vegetable oils seems probable and the countries best 
equipped will be naturally the first to reap the benefit. An 
Agricultural Show would determine whether the oil was purer or a 
vegetable more succulent ; to the observant it would most likely 
indicate the direction in which improvement might be expected, 
but first of all the methods of agriculture as now practised must 
be altered, and I cannot conceive how such alteration can be effected 
except in the way suggested. 
