140 THE WHOLE ART OF RUBBER-GROWING 



the weeding and management of the estate until the 

 trees are two years old, when they will be rapidly 

 approaching the bearing stage. 



At this period the proprietor will be wise to secure 

 his resident labour force, erect the necessary bunga- 

 lows, coolie lines and factory. Here, again, it is an 

 advantage to call in the contractor, and to arrange 

 with the labour headman or kangany as he is termed 

 in Ceylon terms which will attach the coolie force 

 firmly and loyally to the estate. 



Where forest land contains valuable timber, such 

 as satinwood, ebony, mahogany, etc., and the plant- 

 ing of Ceara is intended, it is an excellent plan to 

 leave all these woods standing, sacrificing only the 

 softer and useless trees and planting the Ceara seeds 

 in the vacancies thus created. This is termed " Park 

 planting." Strange to say, predatory pests rarely if 

 ever attack young Ceara raised in this fashion. Per- 

 haps the reason is that they find all the food they 

 desire in the forest itself. Apropos of the cost of 

 clearing and planting forest land, it may be said 

 that park-planted Ceara has been tried with great 

 success in the Philippines and New Guinea, where 

 also the Hevea is being cultivated under similar con- 

 ditions. More will be heard of this departure in 

 rubber-growing, particularly when the absolute cer- 

 tainty of a fall in price to a figure approaching a 

 normal 55. per Ib. will compel owners to turn their 

 attention to the always serious problem of cost of 

 production and its relation to the distribution of high 

 dividends. 



