The consumption of bark was moral and the rate of bark renewal satistactoty. The new continuous sheeting battery has worked satisfactorily since its installation and has had the effect of reducing the cost of manufacture from.28 to.15 of an anna per pound. The supply of labour was sufficient for all requirements and the health of the labour force was reasonably good throughout the year. Practically the whole estate is now free from grass and under a cover of leguminous plants. Small areas of the younger rubber have been treated with artificial manures with satisfactory results.
Neither pests nor diseases gave any special trouble during the year and such cases as were met with yielded readily to treatment. All buildings were given the necessary upkeep and are reported to be in good serviceable condition. No standard production assessment for 1939 has yet been received but it is hoped that when it is issued it will show a satisfactory increase over the allowance for 1938.
Speaking generally matters on this estate are in a very satisfactory condition. We come next to Bukit Sem-milan Estate which, as I told you last year, is our star property. The area under rubber was increased by the planting up of 4 acres near the office, that have hitherto been occupied by squatters, and during the current year a further 21 acres of jungle land will ibe planted with rubber. The average area in tapping throughout the year was 968 acres which yielded at the rate of 761 pounds per acre per annum. The standard of tapping was excellent and the rates of bark consumption and renewal were satisfactory. In this property we own an estate of outstanding yielding capacity.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.