and ages are visible; not another species can be seen, 

 all orig-inal forest trees having been felled and burned. 

 Such a property is hotter and more monotonous than an 

 average tea estate, the latter usually being in possession 

 of a few trees of Grevillea, Albizzia, Acacia and Eucalyp- 

 tus, scattered among the lov/-lying, closely-planted green 

 tea bushes. 



Though the sight of an immense area planted with 

 rubber trees only is impressive, and calls forth an ex- 

 pression of appreciation for the energy and foresight dis- 

 played, yet there is something one does not altogether 

 like. The system is an unnatural one — that may or may 

 not enable planters to get better results than if they 

 strictly imitated nature — and strikes the visitor as being 

 dangerous from the plant sanitation standpoint. I for 

 one do not prefer these almost unlimited estates com- 

 prised of a single species, the plants of which will soon 

 have, if they have not already got, their roots, stems 

 and leaves in actual contact. Isolation is absolutely im- 

 possible on a mature rubber estate since other species 

 cannot be interplanted on such a property and all forest 

 belts have been destroyed. 



It may be argued that large stretches of tea have re- 

 tained their vitality for the last score or more years, and 

 that a Para rubber tree is as hardy as a tea bush. Though 

 it would have been very difficult to select a hardier tree 

 than Hevea brasiliensis, planters must not lose sight of 

 the fact that the treatment meted out to such trees is 

 unique. The method of tapping adopted to-day is one 

 which, if it does not kill, will weaken the trees and check 

 the growth of every plant on the estate. During tapping 

 one removes the hard primary bark and its corky layer, 

 and exposes to the rain and sun a thin layer of soft inner, 

 cortical tissues, capable of being easily pierced by in- 

 sects and of supplying rich plant juices for germinating 

 fungus spores. I do not want to take up a pessimistic 

 attitude, but I have the feeling that the position is apt 

 to be dangerous and likely to be aggravated by the systems 

 of planting and tapping adopted on some properties. 

 There is absolutely no protection against the spread of 

 diseases similar to those aflFecting other tropical plants; 

 the strictest vigilance on the part of planters will be 



