72 THE RUBBER TREE BOOK 



at the proper season, when the weather has been hot and dry 

 for some time, is thus obvious. 



Failing to obtain this, from whatever cause, the timber 

 lying on the ground should be got rid of as soon as possible in 

 one way or another. The process of decay, always so active 

 in tropical climates, helps very much, but needs assistance if 

 the land is to be cleared within a reasonable time, if weeding 

 expenses are to be kept low, and if the ravages of Fomes 

 and Diplodia are to be kept within bounds. I have known 

 of nearly 40 per cent, of the trees on a planted area being 

 attacked by Fomes, owing to timber being left lying to decay 

 and roots left rotting in the ground; a confirmation of the old 

 saying, the less hurry, the more speed. 



Sometimes the fault is not with the plantation manager so 

 much as with the board of directors. Peremptory instructions 

 are sent out that 500 or 1000 acres must be planted up in 

 the course of twelve months. It may be impossible to do 

 this properly, but it has to be done somehow. The burning 

 is done in a hurry, perhaps not at the best season of the year, 

 and, at any rate, while all the heavy timber is still green and 

 full of sap. In consequence, after the burn is over, it is found 

 that only the brushwood and smaller timber have been con- 

 sumed by the flames. The heavy timber trunks still remain 

 intact, or almost intact. 



Under such circumstances a good manager will take steps 

 to get rid of these trunks of timber during the first dry season. 

 There are ways in which this should be done, and others in 

 which it should not be attempted. During a recent visit to 

 the Acheen district of Northern Sumatra the writer saw a 

 plantation which was planted up with rubber trees from eighteen 

 months to two years old. The timber was being burnt off 

 this estate, and no precautions were taken to shelter the young 

 trees or ascertain the direction in which the wind was blowing, 

 so that the trees might not be scorched by flames or hot air. 

 The consequence was that widespread devastation was taking 

 place. The illustration given herewith indicates the method 

 which should be adopted under such circumstances. 



The planter who employed this method of clearing his 

 plantation of timber informed me that, on the first occasion, 

 he employed corrugated galvanized iron sheets 10 feet high. 



