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Swie tenia macrophylk\, etc., were experimentally put out. The boundary lines and a 
protective fire belt were planted with Eugenia grand is which has grown well. Numerous 
plants of Dialium sp. were also planted. 
Later in 1893-94 some thousands of Eusideroxvlon Schwageri were raised and 
planted out, but these hx succeeded owing 'ssibly to want of funds to tend 
the plantation, and to tl ge which was n. at that time in the manage- 
ment. 
Some small areas hav. stocked in the A Croh reserve (Malacca) with 
Fagroea fragrans znd Afzelia palembanica. Rece' a small plantation has been 
made in the Bukit Timah reserve of Gutta Percha, Mcrbau [Afzelia palembanica ) 
and Balam ( Bassia sp.). 
At Ayer Kroh 500 Gutta Percha plants have been planted out. In my opinion 
it would be well to discontinue the experimental planting of all sorts of indigenous 
and exotic trees and concentrate efforts on the formation of one or two large planta- 
tions of the most valuable indigenous tree. From its scarcity in the Colony, the narrow 
limits of its habitat and the value to the world of its product there is no more valu- 
able tree than the Gutta Percha. The scarcity of any of the better hard woods or of 
woods suitable for construction need cause much less concern than that of Gutta 
Percha for the reasons, first, that the reserves still contain useful woods and, second 
that sea-borne timber will always be forthcoming to meet the requirements of the 
Settlements. Operations have been begun at Ayer Kroh where land is available for 
the purpose and where supervision wall be easy. The soil is perhaps not that which 
would be selected for choice, as it is chiefly formed by laterite and the Gutta Percha 
is found growing naturally on the granitic soils, often amongst boulders of the same 
rock with but little soil. Still I believe it will grow at Ayer Kroh provided its 
exigencies as a shade-loving plant are recognised and it is protected by a shelter 
wood of old trees or by nurses, where it is planted in younger forest [blukar). 
Though shade-loving and consequently very delicate when young, its rate of develop- 
ment will depend on its gradual exposure to direct sunlight by opening out space 
over-head for its crown. 
A second plantation should I think he started in Penang, where all the valleys 
and such land as can be obtained not above 1,000 feet may be planted with certainty 
of success from the Botanic Gardens round the Northern side of the island as far as 
Muka Head. It need hardly be said that no planting should be done where the tree 
occurs naturally. It would be well to undertake at each place the planting of at least 
a hundred acres a year, but unfortunately the difficulty in procuring seed and plants 
imposes a limit. Mr. Curtis made an excellent beginning last year in securing 
nearly i,coo plants, and it may be hoped that these trees will continue to bear seed, 
and that others may come into bearing. It may be anticipated too that the Perak 
Officers will find means to collect and supply seeds or seedlings in numbers. In any 
case it is essential that plants should be economised and made to go as far as possible : 
and those at Ayer Kroh have been rightly put out at 20 feet apart which gives 109 to 
the acre. I am disposed to recommend that the plantation be completed with alter- 
nate lines ofTembusu {Fagroea fir agrans) 6 feet apart, and with a Merbau ( Afzelia 
sp.) between each Gutta Percha plant. The Tembusu has been experimented with 
and is sure to succeed. 
The cost of these plantations should not exceed $25 or $30 an acre. 
8. Yield and working. All mangrove tracts should be worked on a systematic 
plan of annual fellings fixed by area. The other reserves may well remain 
closed to the cutting of timber ; hut , meanwhile , the most should be ■ 
made of the timber found on unreserved Crown Lands 
( chiefly in the Bindings). 
The mangrove swamps yield a valuable supply of firewood for which there is a 
very considerable demand, the price in Singapore having risen per 1,000 pieces from $6 
in 1883 to f$8 now, while the piece is said to have grown gradually smaller until its 
average weight is 5lbs. or less, instead ot ylbs. as it was estimated to bet by Mr. Cantley. 
The swamps can with difficulty be turned to any other purpose. The trees re-produce 
themselves from seed and the young forest is understood to grow up to a suitable and 
exploitable size in about 15 years. The areas have only to be mapped, divided into 
suitable blocks — each of which would provide a complete series of fellings — and each 
block marked off on the ground into 15, or better still 20 felling ?ve as (coupes) of 
more or less equal area. Lat h coupe can be sold by auction or otherwise. And if 
each coupe could be clean felled the arrangement wmuld be simplicity itself, but in 
