PRUNING 



103 



case that the system fell into disfavour and has generally been 

 abandoned. 



A somewhat similar system, but delayed to a more ad- 

 vanced age of the trees, has been tried on some estates. On 

 Blankahan Estate, Sumatra, belonging to the Langkat Sumatra 

 Rubber Company, Ltd., there is an area where several hundred 

 tall trees, two and a half years of age, were topped by sawing 

 off the upper portion of the stems about 15 feet from the ground. 



FIG. 27. Trees broken by Storm and sawn across the Stems. 



These trees subsequently developed a fine system of branches 

 all round and grew splendid trunks. Had they not been cut 

 they would always have been poor, spindly trees. Several 

 planters have strongly urged that such branches must be brittle 

 at the point where they unite with the trunk of the tree. This 

 is certainly not the case with the trees on the Blankahan Estate, 

 which appear to have greatly benefited by their severe treatment 

 and have increased their girth considerably. Still, one would 

 hesitate to recommend such a system for general application 

 without taking great precautions. 



