134 THE RUBBER INDUSTRY 



healthy condition, whether at high or low altitudes. 

 A little fungus leading to canker exists in some locali- 

 ties, but not to an extent threatening any serious loss 

 to plantations. Cambium rot and bark disease is prev- 

 alent in some districts, especially Matale, but is kept 

 in check by adequate measures and remedies. A 

 certain percentage of the older trees have been damaged 

 by bad tapping through inexperience, but the majority 

 of these show every indication of practically complete 

 recovery. A few insect pests are noticed, such as 

 borer and white ants, but none that cannot be controlled 

 by proper treatment. A liberal estimate of the loss 

 of trees from all causes on the existing rubber planta- 

 tions should not exceed 3 per cent. The worst enemy 

 of the rubber industry in Ceylon is wind. Where con- 

 tinuous strong winds prevail a stunted growth results ; 

 but these conditions are only found in a few localities 

 for instance, certain sections of the Matale district, 

 where plantations are exposed to strong prevailing 

 winds on the higher ridges. 



A large number of the rubber estates established 

 previous to 1904 were due to the fact that rubber 

 was interplanted with tea as a shade tree for the 

 latter. As the trees developed and rubber became 

 more valuable, the tea was abandoned owing to the 

 shade becoming too dense to allow of profitable cul- 

 tivation, but not until the tapping of the rubber-trees 

 had begun. In these conditions the initial cost of 

 the rubber estates for all practical purposes has been 

 nil. When the rubber boom began, many of these 

 properties were purchased by companies formed in 

 London and elsewhere. In some cases exorbitant 



