ii2 RUBBER AND 



general cultivation and manuring of the estate. These 

 processes are additional to weeding and should not be 

 looked upon as an alternative. Weeding is almost 

 universally done by hand, but on suitable land the use 

 of agricultural machinery is strongly to be recom- 

 mended during the earlier stages of growth. The disc 

 harrow drawn by oxen is a most effective implement 

 for keeping down weeds and preserving a surface 

 mulch, whilst on large estates steam power might very 

 well be introduced. However, the presence of drains 

 or unevenness of the land renders the use of such 

 implements impossible on a large majority of rubber 

 estates. 



In connection with weeds and the use of cover crops, 

 one remarkable fallacy, which has been again and again 

 repeated, requires to be very clearly pointed out. It has 

 been asserted that a close cover of leafy plants is a 

 preservative against the effects of drought ; and the 

 moist surface of the soil beneath such a crop has been 

 pointed out as evidence of the conservation of moisture. 

 It is perhaps difficult at first sight to realise that a dry 

 powdery surface is losing less moisture than a moist 

 surface, but a little thought will show that this is 

 certainly the case. The best preservative against the 

 effects of drought is a thick covering of dead leaves, 

 such as is actually present under old rubber when the 

 leaves have fallen, an event which occurs towards the 

 beginning of the dry season in Ceylon. Failing such a 

 mulch, the next best form of protection is afforded by 



