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Some two and a hall years ago a small coconut plantation was 
destroyed at Kwala Selangor on account of its harbouring numerous 
coconut beetles. The trees were cut up and burnt, and the stumps 
destroyed, the roots being left. I found on digging in this land which 
was covered with lalang that these roots still contained living Gestroi. 
Six Eriodendron planted by the side of a parit were also killed by 
the rubber termite. Their burrows were followed and found to lead 
to an old Meranti stump felled some 8-10 years ago, certainly long 
before the cotton trees were planted, and the former was to all 
appearances directly responsible for the infection of the latter trees. 
Influence of Draining. 
It has been stated that deep draining encourages T. gestroi in 
account of it affording a greater depth of land for this insect to burrow 
in. The slightest acquaintance with the habits of this pest however is 
sufficient to show that such an argument is fallacious. The runs of 
T. gestroi are never found more than 4 feet below the surface of the 
ground (sometimes only an inch) even in estates where the main drains 
are 9 feet deep and cross drains as much as 5 feet. 
In badly drained damp places such as often occur between the 
hills in the Batu Tiga district, Termes gestroi has been met with in 
abundance ; instances such is this are common, and are sufficient to 
prove that deep draining does not aid this pest in its destructive work. 
Nature of the Soil as Affecting the Abundance 
of Termes Gestroi. 
The influence the soil has upon the prevalence of T. Gestroi 
appears to be somewhat undecided. My own observations support the 
general idea viz : that heavy clay soils are the most affected. 
Some replies however received in answer to a circular letter sent 
to each estate in the F. M. S. in connection with this subject are in 
opposition to this generally accepted idea. The following extracts of 
two letters received are cases in point “ These (Termes gestroi) are 
certainly becoming a' menace. I find they are by far most active on 
dry friable soils which are kept free of insects ; where the soil is a 
stiff clay, fairly damp, and carrying grass and jungle there are hardly 
any white ants, while where the soil is like a garden mould well drained 
and no weeds they are very plentiful.” 
In the other received, “On dry flat land, where the soil is purely of 
a sandy nature the majority of damage has been done.” Several other 
letters confirm these statements. Other planters find peaty soil to 
encourage Gestroi, while the majority are of opinion that clay soils are 
the more favourable to it. 
At Kwala Selangor where most of my investigations were conducted 
the subsoil is of a greyish blue clay, and white ants are plentiful. 
Rubber trees planted along the edges of a drain appear to be especially 
favourable to Gestroi. I cannot account satisfactorily for this fact, 
unless it is that Gestroi has a partiality for earth removed from a drain. 
It thus appears that the nature of the soil has but little influence 
on the prevalence of Gestroi, for although nearly all estates with a 
clay subsoil are more or less troubled, it must be borne in mind that 
