FELLING 67 



Malay States, and would be still higher in Kelantan and Pahang. 

 Suppose the manager intends to plant up 300 acres during the 

 first year, and the same number of acres each succeeding year, he 

 will thoroughly fell the first 300 in preparation for the good 

 burn he always hopes for. It is very important so to arrange 

 matters that one does not miss the dry season for a proper and, 

 if need be, repeated burn. 



Besides felling the first 300 acres in a thorough fashion, it 

 is a wise thing to fell the heavy timber in those portions of jungle - 

 land which it is intended to clear and burn next season. By 

 felling the heavy timber only, the large tree trunks and roots 

 get a much longer period to decay, and when, later on, the time 

 comes to burn them, the wood will not be so green and full of 

 sap, and so will burn more readily. All the smaller timber and 

 brushwood in such areas is left uncut, so as to cover the ground 

 and prevent lalang getting in and establishing itself. 



When felling jungle trees, care should be taken to see that 

 the trunks are cut through as close to the ground as possible, 

 especially in the case of heavy timber. 



Of course felling and burning still leaves the roots of the 

 jungle trees in the soil, and many of these are of very large size 

 and extend for considerable distances in all directions. These 

 are a serious trouble when it comes to making regular lines for 

 the holing and planting of the young Heveas. One has either 

 to have vacancies or irregularities in the lines or get such roots 

 out somehow. Undoubtedly the best plan is to get them 

 out. This, however, is so expensive that many, if not most, 

 planters prefer to leave most of the stumps and roots to the 

 process of decay for a year or two before attacking them. Like 

 growth, decay is comparatively swift in tropical climates. The 

 monkey- jack is usually considered the best means of removing 

 stumps and roots, but a few small dynamite cartridges might 

 do the work more quickly, more effectively, and more cheaply. 

 When one learns of the extent to which dynamite is employed 

 in farming operations in North America, one wonders why it 

 is that it is not in general use for plantation work. There is no 

 such prompt, cheap and efficient method of removing stumps 

 and breaking up the ground. 



Whatever stumps and roots motives of economy may 

 prompt a planter to leave in the soil for a time, there should be 



