CHAPTER II. 



Drainage by piping and as a protection 

 against wash. 



I. DRAINAGE OF THE GROUND BY PIPES. 



For low, flat grounds, good efficient drainage is of the 

 first importance, for Hevea will not tolerate stagnant 

 water. It does not suffer much from occasional floods, but 

 garden maintenance is thereby made difficult. The water 

 level should be at least 3 feet below the surface. 

 Plantations where the average level is higher are 

 unsuitable for Hevea. Even with a 3 feet level, there 

 are numerous difficulties to be contended with. Hevea 

 does not form a very deep growing tap root and con- 

 sequently it is apt to stand loosely in the ground or 

 even to sink or fall, and although these trees may not 

 die, they are nevertheless difficult to tap when they 

 arrive at maturity. 



Too much importance cannot be given to the neces- 

 sity for good drainage. GALLAGHER has put this very 

 expressively in the following words: "Above all things, 

 Hevea brasiliensis must have good drainage". 



On an estate in the low, flat valley of Province 

 Wellesley, I saw the drainage carried out in a very 



