47 



may predominate over the benevolent weeds ; the former 

 must be taken out and this necessitates high expenditure. 

 A second disadvantage is, that the rooting out of the 

 noxious weeds from the benevolent ones is much more 

 difficult than on a clean weeded estate and thereby 

 weeding bills are very heavy. 



I saw a plantation on an estate on hilly land, where 

 grass and weeds were growing, but they were regularly 

 cut down and a circle was left clear round the trees. 

 Such a system is much more expensive than clean weeding. 

 Moreover, the weeds seemed to be disastrous to the 

 Hevea; the trees looked poor. (See fig. 18.) 



2. COVER PLANTS. 



A better method than working with half clean gardens, 

 is the cultivation of special kinds of plants, to grow 

 between the rubber instead of leaving it to Providence, 

 as to which plants may grow up. The plants which may 

 be chosen to help the Hevea are planted with several 

 ends in view. (1) 



a. Plants which assist in the drainage 

 of the soil. 



In a previous reference to marshy soil, it was menti- 

 oned that in order to dry out the land Bananas are 

 sometimes planted between the Hevea. 



f 1 ) Full particulars concerning the application of green manure in 

 rubber plantations are to be found in the report of the Congress of 

 the Dutch Indian Syndicate of Agriculture, held at Bandoeng in 

 August 1909. See "Publicaties van het Nederl. Ind. Landb. Syndicaat" 

 1909 1910. 



