24 PARA RUBBER, 



recommended in districts where " seed at stake" is the method of 

 planting and where dry weather may occur within ten weeks 

 after planting. 



It would be unfortunate if the Para rubber tree required a per- 

 manent shade as there are but few shade trees which could be relied 

 upon to always outreach the tops of tall rubber trees, especially when 

 the latter have never been pruned and when planted very close. 

 Only trees such as Albizzia moluccana and perhaps Erythrina 

 lithosperma would combine the quick growth and spreading of 

 branches which would be necessary. Trees of Peltophorum and 

 Pterospermum species, &c, though attaining huge dimensions, grow 

 at too slow a rate especially when cultivated in conjunction with 

 other tree forms. 



Para rubber trees develop better if shaded after being planted, and 

 a light shade for the first and second years such as is given by cuttings 

 or plants of Erythrina species is beneficial. After their second 

 year, they grow satisfactorily without shade. 



Windbelts are generally only necessary during the early stages : 

 owing to the protection from wind which the mature trees give 

 to one another and their general strength special windbelts can be 

 disregarded except in very windy places, where the retention of 

 forest belts to break the wind is a feasible way out of the difficulty. 



Planting Operations 



Nurseries. — If clearing and holing have been completed the 

 seeds should be planted as soon as they have germinated. The 

 seeds germinate in a few days if regularly watered. If it is intend- 

 ed to plant stumps in the following year a well-prepared nursery 

 should be used. The larger the plant — in an interval of 9 to 12 

 months — the better. Good growth has been obtained by adding 

 cattle manure and leaf-mould to the nursery soil before sowing the 

 seeds. An application of a well-balanced artificial manure to the 

 nursery plants when about four months old will also help them on 

 and give better stumps for planting in due course. The use of seed- 

 baskets is to be recommended as there is minimum interruption in 

 the root development during planting operations ; the success with 

 which stumps can be used has led to the disuse of baskets 

 in many districts. Considering that so few trees are planted per 

 acre, and that baskets are so cheap the disuse of the latter at the 

 expense of the interruption in development of the rubber plant is 

 to be regretted. The Neboda Tea Co.. Ceylon, in their annual 

 report for 1905, attribute the success of recent clearings to the use 

 of basket plants. 



Fencing. — This work is necessary if the vacancies are to be kept 

 at a minimum. Animals attack the Para rubber plants at all stages, 

 particularly during the first and second years, and the amount of 

 damage done to young clearings by rats, hares, procupines, pigs, 

 deer, and cattle cannot be too seriously considered. If it is intended 

 to cultivate catch crops which are equally attractive to animals, 



