6 
6. Where Gutta Percka trees ( Palaquium sp.) are found, in the reserves they 
should he weeded , i. e. cleared of the overhead cover of weeds 
or other tree growth, which is interfering with 
their development . 
So far as is known these t 
Penang 
Dindings 
Si ngapore 
Malacca 
*s are found in the 'wing reserves only : — 
Goven Hill reserve 
Ulu Br .eserve (new) 
Bukit Tirnah and Jurong reserves 
Bukit Sunggeh reserve 
and over very limited areas : but it is difficult to understand the absence of the tree in 
the large Malacca reserves of the Jasin District, and it would be reasonable to assume 
that a more careful search would result in its being found ; for it occurs in several 
places near them. But, on the other hand, it is claimed that the wild jungle tribes 
living there, having known and cut out every mature tree long ago, must know if it 
were to be found elsewhere than at that place in the Bukit Sunggeh reserve where 
they have pointed out 18 trees. 
Near Batang Malacca there is a wood with 26 trees and saplings, the largest 
being 30 feet in height with a girth of C3". Near Nyalas 65 trees and plants have 
been counted. At Tebong there are said to be 200 on an area of 19 acres the largest 
being about 1 '6" in girth. In the Batu Feringhi valley of Penang the trees and 
saplings are much more numerous and some of the trees are larger. 
The largest trees known in the Colony are one or two situated on the Northern 
boundary line of the Dindings and those in a valley adjacent to the Botanic Gardens at 
Penang. These latter are 20 or more in number and 2 or 3 seeded last year. One 
measures f 6 " in girth. From these trees Mr. CURTIS raised some 800 0/900 plants, 
500 of which have been put out in the Ayer Kroh reserve in Malacca. It would seem 
that the old parenf trees which have produced the young trees and saplings now found 
were entirely cut out between 1850 and 1870 when Gutta Percha was in great demand 
and that so clean a sweep of them was made that not a tree remains. The oldest of 
those at Penang are beginning to bear seed, and the object in view must be to foster 
all the natural growth that exists in order to lead a good number of trees on to maturity 
and seed-bearing. 1 am not in favour of any attempt being made to generally increase 
the proportion of the valuable gutta percha trees throughout the reserves by artificial 
means. It will be. safer and better to concentrate operations on one or more exten- 
sive but compact plantations. I would propose that every locality where the trees 
grow or can be found in any appreciable numbers should be carefully gone over. 
The areas are unfortunately all too small to make it a heavy piece of work. All trees 
six inches in diameter and over should be enumerated in classes as follows: — 
I Class 2' o" 
II Class C 6" 
III Class C o" 
IV Class 6 " 
in diameter and over 
2' o" in diameter 
)) 
1' 6' 
1 ' o'' 
do. 
do. 
and each tree painted with a broad ring of white paint. 
Each tree should be weeded by the felling, or killing by girdling, of trees over- 
topping it, interfering with its crown development or tending to suppress it. At the 
same time care must be taken not to make great openings in the canopy and thus ex- 
pose the trees too suddenly to an excess of light. Any healthy poles of 3" — 6 " in 
diameter should also have their crown freed and uncovered so as to admit of their 
development. 
Seedlings and suppressed stems, often 3 or 4 feet high, and quite thin, with a 
tuft or two of leaves may be removed to nurseries and gradually hardened off for 
transplanting in the regular plantations, which it is proposed should be made. 
7. Plantations of Gutta Percha ( Palaquium sp. ) should be made in one or two 
selected localities. 
Hitherto the work of planting up certain areas has not been carried out on any 
systematic plan. At the beginning various trees mostly exotics were tried in Singa- 
pore but owing to fires or other causes little or no trace of them is now found. 
In 1889 and 1892 some Para Rubber was planted, with which several acres are 
now found to be stocked in the Sembawang Reserve, and in the Ayer Kroh reserve in 
Malacca. Gluta 1 > eng has, Sterculia alata, Pithecolobium Saman, Artocarpus sp. 
