INTRODUCTION 



AT the opening of the Scientific Laboratory at Kew the 

 late Lord Kelvin stated in his address that it was his 

 firm conviction that the most important thing in science was 

 exact measurement. This was just another way of stating 

 that thorough efficiency was essential. There never was a 

 time when there was a louder call for efficiency, and this was 

 voiced by the present King then Prince of Wales when, 

 after seeing what was going on all over the world, he addressed 

 to our manufacturers and merchants the message " Wake 

 up, England! " Hitherto rubber-plantation companies, with 

 any considerable area of rubber in bearing, have had such a 

 glorious time of big dividends and easy circumstances all round, 

 that there has been no urgent call for special efficiency in estate 

 working. Times, however, are changing. It is being recog- 

 nized more and more that efficiency is essential to success in 

 all branches of industry and that the rubber-growing industry 

 can be no exception to the rule. 



While conscious of the very many shortcomings of this 

 book, an endeavour is at least made to bring new light to bear 

 upon rubber cultivation from various points of view which 

 hitherto have receive4 little or no attention. 



The endeavour is also made to arouse the interest of the 

 planter in the soil he cultivates and the trees he grows there by 

 showing how varied and wonderful are the phenomena con- 

 nected therewith. When interest is thus aroused, then work 

 becomes congenial, habits of closer observation are stimulated, 

 and the tendency is, therefore, towards increased efficiency. 



XV 



