178 THE RUBBER INDUSTRY 



tapping ; but trees from ten to twelve years yield more 

 freely proportionately than at the earlier stages, and 

 at that stage of development show little difference to 

 those grown on the grey loam of the low lands near 

 the seaboard and river estuaries. The third soil, ex- 

 tending to the foot-hills of the mountain ranges in 

 Negri Sembilan, Selangor, and Perak, is, in the opinion 

 of impartial experts, best adapted of all for the culti- 

 vation of the Para rubber-tree. The growth is rapid 

 in the earlier stages, and the tree sends down a deep 

 tap-root which gives a firm hold for resistance to strong 

 winds. Occasionally these trees are snapped off by a 

 violent gust, but seldom thrown down. The trees grow 

 evenly, mature well, and they give a satisfactory return 

 of latex from four years upwards ; moreover, they show 

 steadily increasing yield with additional age. There 

 are large areas of this red loam soil in Johore, Pahang, 

 Kelantan, and Kedah, and these will undoubtedly be 

 a great attraction to practical planters in the future 

 development of rubber estates in the Malay Peninsula. 

 The objection to it is that on steep hillsides it washes 

 badly in heavy rains, on account of its friable nature ; 

 even with a system of drainage scientifically applied 

 there is great difficulty in saving the topsoil, especially 

 when an estate is clean-weeded in the earlier stages of 

 its development. 



/throughout the Federated Malay States the rainfall 

 varies greatly, and is influenced to a marked degree by 

 the proximity of different localities to the mountain 

 ranges forming the backbone of the Peninsula. The 

 following records for seven years ending 1910 show 

 the average distribution : / 



