120 RUBBER AND 



low growing intercrop has been planted which affords 

 no protection. 



Pruning. 



Except for the removal of dead branches, pruning is 

 not generally recommended in the case of well grown 

 rubber trees. Weak drooping branches which prevent 

 the access of sunlight to the tapping area may, however, 

 often be removed with advantage. Formerly a process 

 known as thumb-nail pruning was advocated, in which 

 the terminal bud of the tree was nipped off when a 

 height of 12 to 15 feet had been reached. The result of 

 this treatment was to cause a forking of the tree into 

 two or three main branches, and it was claimed that 

 the rate of increase of the girth of the main trunk was 

 thus accelerated. The objection to the method lies in 

 the fact that the fork becomes a point of weakness, and 

 the tree becomes very liable to split at this point if 

 at all exposed to wind. Such a fork also forms a 

 convenient point of lodgement for fungus spores, and 

 may thus lead to the origin of disease. The method is 

 specially to be avoided in countries where Pink disease 

 is prevalent. One form of pruning is, however, often 

 necessary in the case of young trees, especially when 

 widely planted. Any lateral branches which occur below 

 a height of about ten feet should be cut off flush with 

 the stem as early as possible, in order that the future 

 tapping area may not be obstructed. 



