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tree is about as strong as the coconut palm in its root system and 

 quickly takes possession of the soil. (H. Wright in Para Rubber.) 

 Manuring. — "The Para rubber does not necessarily require a 

 soil with a high percentage of organic matter and mineral food as 

 was imagined by early investigators, although rubber grows well 

 on such soils. Under cultivation the trees can be made to grow 

 well on light sandy loams at the proper elevation in districts 

 having the necessary rainfall and temperature. So, given a fair 

 balance of plant food the Para rubber tree will flourish, as there 

 is not much drain on the soil by food material being permanently 

 removed — only the mineral matter and nitrogen taken away in the 

 rubber. Although the loss is small, yet it should be taken into 

 consideration after a number of years, and an attempt made to 

 replace the mineral matter and nitrogen. We do not at present 

 advance any opinion as to the effect of manuring on the yield of 

 latex in old trees, nor yet can we refer to any reliable results 

 which would allow us to put forward even an hypothesis. We 

 are at present of the opinion that manuring at the young stage 

 would help on the young plants and thus prove to be beneficial, 

 giving rise to good wood and large supplies of leafy material. We 

 would strongly recommend that the fallen leaves be buried with 

 lime or basic slag in trenches, or round the trees at a distance of 

 4 to 6 feet from the trunks ; this basic dressing will promote 

 nitrification and give rise to the more rapid decomposition of the 

 organic matter. Light forking is recommended to break up the 

 hard surface of the soil and so aerate it and allow penetration of 

 the rain and air."* 



" Draining. — t It is erroneous to suppose that because Para 

 rubber is a forest cultivation draining is unnecessary. Draining 

 is as necessary for rubber trees as it is for any other product in 

 order to encourage the free circulation of air, water, and food 

 solutions throughout the soil, and to check wash on steep hillsides. 

 The distance of the drains from one another and their size must 

 depend upon the soil conditions. In swampy and boggy land, 

 little above the water level, the drains should be as wide and deep 

 as possible, either between each row of trees or in exceptional 

 cases around individual trees. Several areas in the low country 

 of Ceylon, consisting of bogs rich in organic matter, have been 

 converted into good rubber land by making drains two to three 

 feet wide and three to four feet deep, and heaping the earth in 

 the middle to form a dry soil on which the rubber plant can live 

 for a couple years. On hillsides the drains need be only about 

 one to one and a half feet deep. They should be made at right 

 angles to the slope in order to check the formation of gorges. 

 The distance of the drains from one another will vary according 

 to the slope and climatic conditions ; on flat land a distance of 60 

 to 70 feet seems sufficient, whereas on steep hillsides 20 to 30 feet 

 is not too close. . . . 



* Circular R. But. Oanl , CeyVm, Vol. III., No- 6, p. 82. 

 t Para Kubber, by H. Wiight. 



