110 THE PARA RUBBER TREE 



the distances at which Hevea trees should be planted, 

 and there is stiU much divergence of opinion amongst 

 planters on this point. At first close plantmg was gener- 

 ally adopted with the object of producing tall straight 

 stems suitable for tapping, and the trees on many estates 

 were planted 10 ft. by 10 ft. (over 400 to the acre). In 

 these cases the intention was to thin out the trees subse- 

 quently, but this has not always been done. More re- 

 cently tliere has been a grov/ing opinion that much wider 

 plantmg than the above is desirable, and the distance 

 of the trees apart has been gradually increased. In 

 Ceylon distances of 15 ft. by 20 ft. (about 150 trees to the 

 acre) or 20 ft. by 20 ft. (about 110 trees to the acre) are 

 now generally adopted, whilst in Malaya the usual arrange- 

 ment is 20 ft. by 20 ft. or 24 ft. by 12 ft. (about 110 and 

 150 trees to the acre respectivel}^). Some authorities 

 recommend still wider planting, being of opinion that ulti- 

 mately better results will be obtained from 40 or 50 trees 

 per acre than from 100 to 200 trees on the same area. 



Experiments conducted in Malaya and in Ceylon have 

 shown that widely planted trees increase in girth much 

 more rapidly than closely planted trees and that conse- 

 quently the former Mill more quickly attain the necessary 

 size for tapping. 



Raising of Plants. — Hevea hrasiliensis is usually propa- 

 gated from seed, of which the trees produce large quantities 

 after the fourth or fifth year. Seed intended for planting 

 purposes should be preferably selected from vigorous trees 

 eight to ten years old giving a large yield of rubber. 



The plants are generally raised in nursery beds or in 

 seed-baskets, but in some cases the seeds have been planted 

 " at stake " in the position which the trees are to occupy. 



When the plants are to be raised in nurseries, well- 

 prepared beds of rich soil should be formed in a suitable 

 position, and arrangements made for providing the young 

 plants A\ith shade. This is usually accompUshed by means 

 of a light framework about 8 ft. high upon which a cover- 

 ing of leaves or matting can be spread. The seeds are 

 sometimes germinated in a seed bed and then transferred 

 to tlie nursery bed, or they are at once planted in the 

 nursery bed 6 to 9 in. apart and 1 in. below the surface. 

 Tlie seeds are placed in the beds with their long axis 

 horizontal, as if tliey are planted vertically the seedlings 



