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4. All the land, with the exception of Bukit Jugra and the hills at UIu Sepang, 
-consists of fiat, low-lying, swampy land, and no hill padi is grown, 
5. The present system of planting consists of what I may call wet ladang 
During May or June a block of secondary growth is felled, cleared and burnt, and 
in June nurseries are made, and as soon as they have attained a height of about a 
foot are planted out as in the case of sawah padi. 
6. The chief difference is that in the case of sawah the land is cleared and 
■opened for permanent cultivation, and that dams are constructed to irrigate the crops. 
In the case of what I speak of as wet ladang, the ground is only roughly cleared and 
stumps of trees, etc. are not removed, and the water supply necessary for a succesful 
crop is altogether dependent on the rainfall. 
7. This is the most popular form of cultivation in this District, and now that the 
Government have again permitted it, a large area is under cultivation. During the 
present year I estimate that about 1,200 acres are under this form of cultivation, in 
this District. 
3 . The Langat Malays like the Cultivation for the following reasons: — They have 
been accustomed to it all their lives, very little labour is necessary, the expense is 
almost nil, and the results are usually satisfactory. 
9. The chief causes of failure are the ravages of mice and birds, both of which 
sometimes destroy whole fields at a time. 
10. As to the area of land available for wet padi cultivation, I estimate that 
not less than 150 square miles of virgin forest in this District are suitable for 
this cultivation. 
11. On the second question asked in the Hon’ble Colonial Secretary’s paragraph 
3, I do not feel myself able to suggest any definite plan, but judging from the results 
attained by the introduction of settlers into the country in previous years, it appears, 
evident that if any new settlers are to be assisted by Government, the Government 
must be prepared to find these men work, for, at any rate, part of every year for 
the first three or four years, and must be prepared to risk the loss — some part, at any 
rate — of any money advanced. 
12. As to the settlers themselves, I understand the Tamils are the most easily 
obtained, but personally I should greatly prefer to see good padi-planters, more 
nearly allied to the Malay population, introduced, say, from Burma or Siam. 
13. these latter would, I think, in a comparatively few years intermarry and 
become one people with the Malays, whereas in the case §f Tamils a much longer 
time must elapse before this can take place, if it ever does. 
14. I take it for granted that whatever races are introduced they should not be 
of a people who are able or inclined to work in mirths, for it must be hopeless to 
expect people who can earn more money in a short time in mining to continue to 
plant padi. For this reason I have not suggested Chinese padi-planters. 
C 5 ; 1 have had some conversation with Chinese who have been long resident in 
this District, and although they all praise the soil and acknowledge it to be most 
suitable for padi, yet they say that if Chinese padi-planters were introduced, they 
would continually abscond to the mines, or would learn to smoke opium and neglect 
their fields. & 
16. J he Malays already in the country are not numerous enough to plant padi 
on any large and permanent scale, even bad they the knowledge or inclination to 
learn, which they have not. 
1 ]• The only suggestion 1 can make for this District is: — 
i. That the Government introduce the settlers, of whatever nationality 
may be decided on. 
ii. Settle them on a land between Jugra Hill and Sepang. 
iii. That they be employed whenever they want work, from the day they 
land in the country, in the construction of a road from Jugra 
to Sepang. 
iv. That each family on landing receive about $10 to. enable them to 
put up houses for themselves. 
v. That their passage here and the $io advanced to each family on 
landing be a free gift. 
