3 
The most hopeful plan for dealing with it lies in mechanical means. The plant 
must be hoed up and burnt and the ground re-planted. Lalang reproduces itself not 
only by its feathery seeds, but more constantly by its underground rhizomes. Hoe- 
ing it merely breaks these rhizomes into bits, and unless every bit is destroyed, the 
plant will reproduce itself from pieces of rhizomes left in the soil. Hence it is 
always said that lalang requires to be hoed up three times before it is destroyed. 
To fire the plant as it grows, apart from the risk of injury to the timber-forests, 
only makes matters worse, for the fire merely burns the foliage and does not hurt the 
underground rhizomes, and the plants after burning usually bear fruit, which is car- 
ried by the wind all over the country again. 
By constant clearing of the ground for a few years and at the same time planting 
with trees, the land may be eventually re-afforested with timber, but the expense of 
doing this on a large scale will be. very great. When the trees are tall enough 
to throw a shade upon the ground, the lalang quickly disappears, nor can it penetrate 
even into forest glades if but a few trees bar its progress. 
The question really resolves itself into one of expense. To're-afforest the Whole 
of the lalang country in the forest reserves with timber would entail, the employ- 
ment of a large number of men for several years in clearing the lalang and re-planting 
the trees. The military reserve is an instance of this. It was commenced in 1885, and 
consists of 100 acres on which a band of 10 men has been employed each year for at 
least a portion of the year, and even previous to that plants likely to destroy the 
lalang had been planted there. Even at present it requires a constant clearing to 
prevent the recurrence of the lalang. The plan I would suggest for combatting the 
lalang is to plant gradually patches of ground at first with shade trees and bushes, 
perhaps of little or no value for other purposes, but which would form a compact but 
spreading head of foliage so as to shade the ground, then keeping down the weeds 
will be a comparatively easy matter. The present staff of watchmen will form little 
nurseries of trees in this manner round each of their quarters which they will be able 
to develop according as they have time from their other works. As the shade trees 
kill down the weeds, more valuable timber trees will be planted among them and in 
time a piece of valuable forest will be the result. 
During my inspection of the forest reserves, I have noted the chief trees and 
shrubs which will grow through lalang both indigenous and introduced. Many plants 
will not grow in it at all, others grow through it eventually when assisted but do not 
kill it, while some with a little assistance will grow through and kill it. 
Section (I).— Trees and shrubs that will grow through lalang without killing it: — 
. - D [Adinand ra ditmosa). 
^ (jTeop-tedp) [Map pa javanica). 
Singapore Rhododendron (Melastoma malabathricum). 
Teak (Tectona grandis), in a very few rich soils. 
Andong Cantley {Dracaena Cantleyi ). 
Several species of wild Figs (Ficus spp.) 
(Embelia vibes). 
Gutta Jelutong (Dyera costulata ). 
Of section (I), teak, as stated elsewhere, is to all intents and purposes a failure here. 
Adinandra might be used as an accessory in keeping out lalang, but though exceed- 
ingly common, is difficult to propagate artificially. Dyera in certain spots is very 
common and is well deserving of encouragement on account of the rubber it 
produces. It gives little shade, being a tall straight tree, but not only can it grow 
through the grass, but in one spot I found plants which had at some time been under 
fire, throwing up side shoots, showing that the plant can stand burning. The remain- 
ing trees and bushes in this section call for no comment. 
Section (II). — Trees and shrubs which grow through lalang and kill it : — 
Arnotto (Bixa orellana). 
Croton-oil ( Croton Tiglium). 
Flowering Cassia ( Cassia florida). 
Tembusu (Fagrcea peregrina ). 
Tuba ( Derris elliptica). 
Mauritius Hemp (Fourcroya gigantea). 
Of these, the Arnotto reproduces itself very rapidly and forms a low dense bush, under 
which nothing can grow. Croton seems likely to do well, but has not yet had a fair 
trial. Cassia florida is very successful, and eventually forms a fairly large tree. 
