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such a soil is characteristic of the coast lands in the F. M. S, the 
looser soils being in the minority. 
Influence of Lalang. 
A common belief among planters is that T. gestroi does not live in 
lalang land ; this however is not entirely correct, but it is not difficult 
to see how how such an opinion has originated. Most of the land which 
is at present covered with lalang was felled many years ago, and the 
fallen trees have already been devoured by various insects, thus leaving 
no food for Gestroi to exist on, they jnust therefore either die or gra- 
dually make their way to other places which would account for their 
absence at the present time. 
That they have no dislike to lalang land is evidenced by their 
presence among many Malay kampongs, which are usually overgrown 
with lalang and other weeds, but owing to the presence of Mango, 
Coconut trees, etc., T. gestroi has a means of sustenance. 
Importance of Examining Dead Wood. 
The most important point in connection with the present abundance 
of T. gestroi and which has been practically overlooked is the fact that 
it attacks dead as well as living wood. At Kuala Selangor which is low 
lying jungle Termes gestroi in its natural state in very common. This 
is evidenced by the number of Kumpas and Meranti trees that are 
attacked as may easily be seen' when virgin jungle is felled. I have 
also found under natural conditions old stumps riddled with gestroi and 
large nests of the same species beneath the ground. 
When such land is felled T. gestroi is already among the fallen 
trees, and the natural conditions which previously existed are altered 
and rendered more favourable to the multiplication of this insect. 
As pointed out by Mr. Robinson T. gestroi does not enter an estate 
from the jungle, for if they did the trees at the edge of the jungle would 
suffer to a greater extent than those in the centre of the plantation. 
They are therefore bred within the estate. 
The Rubber termite does not immediately attack the Para rubber 
tree but first devours such dead wood to which it has no aversion. 
In this way T. gestroi has on old estates and is becoming in new 
estates a formidable pest. The fact that it is among the dead wood 
and rapidly multiplying has up to the present time been ignored ; it is 
only when the rubber trees are being attacked that any measures are 
taken against its ravages. The dead wood may have become full of 
gestroi but even then no attention is directed to it, the attacked rubber 
trees being treated by perhaps digging - around their roots and applying - 
lime. Such a treatment to any single tree when there is a constant 
supply of T. gestroi from an adjacent stump or trank must necessarily 
be a very temporary and practically useless measure against its 
attacks. 
On a young estate if a careful examination he made of fallen logs, 
stumps, and bridges over drains, many of these will be found to be 
full of gestroi . If young trees are attacked any old logs or stumps in 
the vicinity must be examined as they are in nearly all instances 
directly responsible for the infection of tiie living tree. 
