92 THE RUBBER TREE BOOK 



sidered so good a life by an insurance company as another man 

 of similar physique in possession of all his members. The re- 

 moval of the leg, however skilfully performed, would reduce 

 the first man's store of vitality very considerably. His con- 

 stitution would be weakened and he would be more liable, 

 throughout life, to succumb to an attack from any disease 

 which might affect him. 



So a tree developed from a stump which has been torn from 

 the soil and had its foliage and its roots drastically pruned one 

 would think must suffer from a reduced vitality throughout its 

 lifetime. It can grow a new head of foliage and a new footing 

 of roots, and possibly could do this twice over, but would, in 

 that case, show unmistakably how it had suffered. Some 

 contend, however, that plants and trees, which undoubtedly 

 frequently benefit by pruning, must be judged from quite a 

 different standpoint, and this, within limits, is correct. 



Before a planter has his seeds, seedlings or stumps ready 

 for planting-out, it is necessary to have the ground " lined " in 

 advance. " Lining " means marking out the future ground 

 with cord, so as to ensure that the trees of the future plantation 

 will be in straight lines and at regular distances from each 

 other. Few things are more offensive to the eye of a fastidious 

 planter than irregular lines, with trees every here and there 

 out of their places. The lines should always be so planned that 

 the avenues between the trees run east and west and not north 

 and south. This is important, as it gives all the trees a better 

 opportunity of securing a fair share of the morning and after- 

 noon sunshine than if they were planted in avenues running 

 north and south. 



Anyone who takes the trouble to examine plantations with 

 lines running north and south, and compares them with those 

 having avenues running east and west, will see for himself how 

 much darker and gloomier are the former in comparison with 

 the latter. Sunlight is so very important for the growth of the 

 foliage, on whose luxuriant existence depends the welfare of 

 the trees, that one cannot afford to neglect any opportunity of 

 securing as much of it as possible for the sides as well as the 

 tops of the trees. Gloom and darkness invariably indicate 

 early decay. 



When seeds are planted-out at stake it is not necessary to 



