INTERPLANTING 121 



crop. The planter, compelled in the end to reduce 

 his working expenses, and unwilling from sheer in- 

 ability to face the prospect of no returns from his 

 rubber for several years, usually took panic, grubbed 

 up the trees wholesale, and returned to the crops he 

 understood, and which he knew would yield a reason- 

 able return on his labour and enterprise. Several of 

 the plantations so treated contained trees that were 

 at the time eight years old and would to-day, of 

 course, be invaluable. Quite recently I rode over 

 one of these properties. When the trees were 

 destroyed the land was put down to tea. But the 

 crop was not a success. The estate changed hands. 

 The tea was eradicated and the ground is now 

 planted with young rubber, which is growing 

 splendidly. Several hundreds of the stumps of the 

 old-time trees they were Heveas were overlooked 

 by the coolies in clearing the ground, and, having 

 sprouted again, were permitted to remain. They 

 have become fine, robust, promising trees. 



Catch crops other than tapioca have been tried 

 with more or less success. These include gambier, 

 pepper, coffee, and in some cases cotton. 



Tapioca is largely cultivated in Malaya and is a 

 recognised source of profitable agriculture. Inter- 

 planted among rubber it will yield about 10 per 

 acre net profit before the growth of the rubber 

 demands its abandonment. On this basis it certainly 

 presents great attractions for the beginner, whose 

 only other choice is virgin jungle land. Thus the 

 reference in Malayan and other rubber prospectuses 

 to tapioca land which it is proposed to convert into 



