Bn kit Batu Tiga. 
109. Towards the close of the year this demarcation was commenced, and four 
miles opened ; the reserve will contain about 6,000 acres. When this and tie Batang 
Malaka reserve are opened, quarters will be built for the Forest watchmen at Gapis, if 
possible, a central position for both reserves. 
General Remarks. 
Distribution of Reserves. 
no. The original plan of distribution of reserves has been carried out, and 
when the two unfinished reserves have been demarcated, the requirements of the 
Settlement will probably be met. The larger area is in the south, but it may be possible 
to increase the northern division by adding to the Brisu Reserve where a much 
larger area is desirable, and considering the importance of firewood reserves near 
the town and in the open country towards Alor Gajah, it is worth consideration 
whether the Cheng hills should not, in part at least, be conserved. 
Transport of Timber . 
111. Although the distance from some of the reserves to Malacca is long 
and the transport difficult, yet it hardly appears to make much difference in the value 
of the timber. Most of the timber in use in the Settlement comes from Muar, and 
the distance from the depot there to the jungle and from the town by sea to 
Malacca is quite as far and inconvenient as from any Malacca reserve to the town. 
When the reserves in Malacca are capable of supplying timber, each district can be 
easily supplied from its own reserves. 
y 
Conservation and Re-production. 
11 2. At present there is a very large proportion of secondary growth, included in 
the reserve, and only in a few reserves, viz., Bukit Sadanan, some parts of Merlemau, 
Sungei Udang and Ayer Panas that the forest is dense and old enough to cut from. 
The area of lalang is small, nor is it necessary to deal with it till it has become 
covered with brushwood, which is rapidly happening. There is, however, much land 
covered with secondary growth, and older forest, which is in a fit state for planting. 
Where the soil is good, such timbers as Merebau, Kempas, Meranti and Penaga, 
could be planted in the form of seed, and Gombang, Kavu Minyak, and seedlings and 
young plants of Tampines, Serayah, Petaling and Kranji would also be planted. 
Special Vote for Planting. 
1 1 3. The present staff is not able to do more than to conserve and keep up the 
boundaries of the existing forest, and I would suggest a vote which would cover the 
whole of the planting expenses being given. 
Many of the best timber trees, especially Digtcrocarpns , only fruit periodically, 
and when this happens, or when an unusually heavy crop of fruits occurs, they must be 
collected and planted without delay in as large quantity as possible. For this reason 
the vote should be made available till the work was completed. 
i hough the best large timbers would, of course, take a long time to grow to full 
size, some return would be obtained in from four to six years. Land which had 
been thickly planted would by that time require thinning, and the timber cut out wrnuld 
be of a class which is highly marketable for use as stakes, rollers, posts, beams, etc., 
for which there is always a large demand. I would point out that the present available 
high forest cannot safely be worked unless planting is put in hand on a large scale. 
As it is required to serve for the natural reproduction both in the forest and also for 
the production of seeds for planting other land. 
The reserves at present cannot do more than supply the wrnnts of the Settlements. 
With the increased development of the Colony, both by agriculture and commerce, the 
demand for timber close at hand is increasing. And the failure of the supply of 
timber, even in the form of posts for pepper cultivation, may have a most injurious 
effect on the future resources of the Colony. 
