II 



abundance. This is no theory but has been practised for several 

 years with success. There are no complete failures in any hill, 

 except where planting has been done in ground which is too sour. 

 In such places we may have too replant in small patches after 

 proper draining has been prepared for, and in such cases we use 

 excess plants growing in the neighbourhood. During the first few 

 months seedlings backward, misshaped, or where crowding is 

 observed, are cut out at the time of each weeding. Generally we cut 

 at least 50 per cent, of all the seedlings during the first six months. 

 Detailed rules have been worked out for this first thinning and they 

 will be applied in the field by the assistants in charge. Great care 

 is exercised in the selection of the plants allowed to remain, and 

 many points have to be attended to. Thus if a plant branches in a 

 way that does not promise regularity, or if it has grown twisted or 

 bent it is cut out. In selection those plants that show a tapering 

 shape with thick stem are preferred to plants growing mainly in 

 height, and plants with large dark green leaves are preferred to 

 those with small leaves of a lighter or yellowish colour. 



Advantage of Close Planting. 



One of the great advantages of this system of close planting 

 and successive thinning is the opportunity for selection, a matter 

 which is generally overlooked, but which, no doubt, will be found to 

 be a most profitable policy. In Castillo, cultivation we often get 

 trees which produce very little or sometimes no rubber. It is 

 evident that such trees are an unnecessary expense on the plantation. 

 Why should we waste time on valueless trees ? Can this in any 

 way be avoided ? With our present limited knowledge of the nature 

 of the tree we cannot say with absolute certainty whether a seedling 

 will become a good "milker" or not. But in the course of my 

 physiological investigations of Castillo,, I have already been able to 

 draw some conclusions, which give us certain indications on which 

 we can judge in this matter. That is to say, we can in some 

 instances say definitely that a seedling, which shows certain 

 characters, will never produce a large amount of latex. On the 

 other hand, we cannot guarantee that a number of non-producing 

 trees would not be passed during the selection time. But we have 

 found a way to reduce their number, and I hope that further 

 investigation will considerably improve the method. There is, 

 however, another important point which can be applied in this 

 process of selection. It is the choice of rapid growing, healthy 

 plants of a certain desirable type. It is of the greatest value to 

 the planter to have trees which are as rapid growing as possible. 

 Now with the transplanting system a certain amount of selection 

 can be done, but this is before the transplanting process, during 

 which the plant is always more or less injured. There is no selection 

 possible after the transplanting. With the "at stake" planting 

 system mentioned we do our most important selection after sowing 

 the seeds. I will presently refer to the selection which precedes 

 the planting. 



With the growth of the young rubber trees, successive thinnings 

 become necessary to prevent crowding. It is here the men in 

 charge of the plantation have to exercise their best judgment. 



