98 RUBBER AND 



Clearing. 



The heavier the forest the greater will be the 

 expense for clearing, but in the same proportion the 

 growth of the rubber may be expected to be better. 

 The trees on the land seldom pay for working, and 

 much fine timber is thus wasted, only so much being 

 saved as is required for buildings on the estate. Clearing 

 is often carried out on contract. In some cases only the 

 undergrowth is cleared and burnt, the larger trees being 

 ringed and left to die. At the present day this practice 

 is seldom adopted. Not only is it much better to fell 

 and burn everything growing upon the land, but if 

 possible all tree stumps should be extracted and no 

 dead wood should be left to rot upon the ground. In 

 some cases no doubt the cost of such operations is 

 prohibitive, but the immunity from the attacks of white 

 ants and root diseases, which can be obtained in no 

 other way, is worth considerable extra expense. On 

 level land, moreover, it may be possible, if stumps are 

 extracted, materially to reduce the cost of weeding and 

 cultivation by the use of agricultural machinery during 

 the early stages of growth of the rubber. Probably the 

 only real objection to the use of machinery in this 

 connection where the conditions are suitable, lies in 

 the conditions of labour management. A considerable 

 labour force is necessary both for opening the estate 

 and for harvesting the rubber. In the interval between 



