3 
ii In Province Wellesley about 3 miles of the boundary of Tasek Glugor Re- • 
serve was fire traced. A cleared line has been cut and evergreen bamboo planted 
along one side of it for part of the distance. This is necessary owing to frequent 
“ Lalang ” fires. ' J 
Improvement of Forest Growth. 
( i ) Natural Reproduction. 
12. In the Dindings, Mr. BORGES, Forest Ranger, who was trained at Dehra Dun 
Forest School, has made many useful inspections and observations on the forest. He 
reports that there are very few hard wood trees in the pole stage but plenty seedlings 
and small saplings. Natural regeneration is reported as good. The reserves contain 
a oood deal of Ebony [M aba Bnxi folia). "As regards Mangrove it has been found 
that there is more mature forest than was hitherto supposed, wherever extraction is 
at all difficult. Near the mouths of streams and creeks over felling has always occur- 
1^, In Malacca the Forest Ranger, Mr. G'AGLIARDI, reports that the natural re- 
production of the following species was good. Tembusu {Fragrosa fragrans), Tampi- 
nis (. Sloetia Suit roxylonf Mcrapu (Jlopea and Chorea of various species). No 
Getah Taban ( Palaquiurn ) trees were observed in flower or in fruit. There are 225 
Taban trees in the Jasin district and 505 tn Alor Gajah, 
(ii) Artificial Reproduction and Cultural Operations. 
14. See Form 8. 
In Penang. The area of the Getah Taban plantation at Batu Feringgi which 
stood at 40 acres at the beginning of the year, was further increased by about 10 acres. 
1,09s Taban trees were planted, a few of which were used as supplies where vacancies 
had occuried. The plants have growm well, the tallest, of those originally planted in 
1889 and 1890 being breast high. The Kickxia and Rambongs have not done so well, 
the ground evidently being too dry for them, The same remark applies to the few 
Para Rubber which were planted as shade for the Getahs. 
Description of trees planted in 1903. 
No : of trees . 
Palaquiurn Getah seedlings. 
878 
\ y „ stumps. 
217 
1,095 
A further 10 acres of jungle has been opened up and partly bolded in anticipation 
of planting during 1904. 
15. Teak . — The experiment of grown ng Teak in the Province at Tasek Glugor 
is only moderately successful. The two acres planted in 1902 have been weeded on 
2 occasions. About half the number planted died, and were replaced. A curious 
feature of the plantation is the irregularity of growth shown ; in some cases the young 
plants are five feet in height w r hich leaves as big as Rhubarb — whilst growing next to 
them under apparentlv the same conditions are plants only a few inches high. It is 
very doubtful if it will' ever pay to plant Teak through lalang grass. This plantation 
was visited by the Conservator of Forests during the year. 
16. In Malacca no addition was made to the area of Gutta Percha ( Palaquiurn ) 
plantations, which remain at 125 acres, and 8 acres of Getah Sundik ( Payena Laeni ), 
This is not a regular plantation. The young plants are put out in the forest under 
shade, the undergrowth being cleared. Blanks w r ere filled in during the year from the 
nurseries. 
Plants purchased during the year 2,492 ; total number received from 1st April, 1901, 
to 31st December, 1903, 60,000. Number now alive in the forest is only about 7,000, 
and 2,400 in the nurseries. This is not satisfactory, and I am satisfied that the fault 
lies in the fact that the plants are many of them half dead on arrival. See remarks 
of Conservator of Forests in the Annual Report for 1901, page 4 ’ * 11 which he does not 
recommend the purchase of any more transports should be purchased from other 
countries, and that if possible seed should be obtained. It is possible that the locality 
is not suitable to laban. d he whole area was cleared of undergrowth to give more 
room to the Taban. 
