17(3 Ustiiliiia Zonata [Lev.) Sacc. on Hevea Bra^iliensis 



possible losses from disease has been the great stay for the argument 

 that more trees should be kept to the acre than are absolutely necessary. 

 This is an obvious but clumsy way of insuring a profitable yield, but until 

 a better method is suggested it must remain in force. An optimum 

 number of trees per acre is the ideal— this postulates average yielding 

 trees and few or no losses from disease after the ten years limit is reached. 

 Rubber estates developed with a due regard to hygienic principles need 

 not fear losses from disease as far as present knowledge goes; this state- 

 ment obtains more support the further investigations are carried. 



Fears for the future should not lead rubber people to favour the 

 retention of trees in excess of the optimum, but should stimulate them 

 to insist upon responsible persons finding the ways and means of sur- 

 mounting the difficulties by approaching cognate problems from different 

 perspectives. The solution lies in the adoption of an intensive scheme of 

 scientific research. 



Two lines call for immediate attention: {a) physiological investigation 

 to enquire into the role played by latex in the metabolism of the tree ; 

 (b) seed selection investigations with a view to improving yields of latex 

 and at the same time obtaining trees more resistant to fungus attacks. 

 The inception of these investigations would mark a new departure in 

 tropical research. Up-to-date, practical investigations have been all that 

 were asked for ; the problems have been so many and the workers so few 

 that immediate matters have had to be hurriedly dealt with, and little 

 attention has been paid to the future. The position is worse because of 

 the lack of correlation in scientific investigations and the difl&culty 

 investigators find in meeting and discussing cognate problems from the 

 experience gained in difterent countries. Rubber research needs cen- 

 tralisation and reorganisation, which would enable immediate practical 

 matters to be grappled with, and would also institute pure scientific 

 investigations with a view to rendering the industry a permanent corner- 

 stone in the edifice of National Industry. "With proper foresight and 

 eflficient administration, the rubber industry of the Middle East should 

 remain largely under British control, and should fear no competitors. 

 On the other hand, if the present methods continue, the result may be 

 disastrous. The present time is ripe for a departure from archaic ideas, 

 and if all interested parties can be brought together to reasonably 

 discuss the situation, the outcome is assured. 



I am indebted to Mr F. de la Mare Norris, Asst. Ag. Inspector, F. M. S., 

 for the drawing of Fig. 20 and to E. W. King, Esq., Visiting Agent to the 

 Kuala Lumpur Rubber Co., for the photograph included as Fig. 2. 



