196 RUBBER AND RUBBER PLANTING 



For dealing successfully with plant diseases, intelli- 

 gent cooperation is eminently desirable. A single 

 neglected and diseased property may constitute a 

 serious menace to the health of the products on all 

 the other estates in the same district. The case of an 

 owner who is not amenable to the principles of co- 

 operation in the treatment of diseases would constitute 

 a strong argument in favour of coercive legislation. 

 For the owner who neglects to take ordinary precautions 

 for preventing the spread of disease is interfering with 

 the rights of his neighbour almost as much as if he were 

 to set fire to a corner of his plantation. 



