and Magazine of the Ceylon Agricultural Society.— October, 1912. 



327 



Ding-out process being of such a nature as to en- 

 courage the spread of fomes and white ants. On 

 an estate known to the writer the deaths 

 amount to from 5 to 7 per cent, per annum ; the 

 percentage common to young estates would pro- 

 bably be maintained or exceeded in the first 

 two or three years following thinning-out. 



While it is hardly fair to expect planters and 

 experts to maintain the same views for all time, 

 we certainly feel justified in giving publicity to 

 the opinions expressed by such men as Malcolm 

 Cumming, Francis Pears, and Gallagher. 



Gumming believed that close-planting would, 

 during the first few years, give more rubber per 

 acre than wide-planting. 



The late Francis Pears stated that " an acre 

 of rubber with 50 trees is likely to prove more 

 valuable than one with 200." It will also be 

 remembered that Wickham advised 40 treea per 

 acre as against Berkhout's 300. 



Gallagher eltimated that on virgin jungle 

 land from 15 to 20 per cent, of the trees ori- 

 ginally planted would be lost by the time the 

 trees were seven years old. He recommended 

 commencing with 120 to 140 trees per acre, in 

 order that about 100 trees per acre might re- 

 main at seven years. 



Manuring and Thinning out. 

 While every planter must now admit that close 

 planting checks the growth after the fourth or 

 fifth year on fairly good soil, and that the ori- 

 ginal cannot be the final distance oq estates 

 planted only with Hevea trees, we doubt 

 whether the actual value of manuring has been 

 taken into full consideration. It has a direct 

 bearing on the age at which Hevea estates should 

 be thinned. There are many estates which, 

 being closely-plauted and therefore renewing 

 their bark slowly, could be assisted by the appli- 

 cation of manure. On many estates whiohhave 

 been too severely tapped the application of 

 manure has been followed with a more rapid bark 

 renewal ; on closely planted estates a similar 

 effect should be obtained. In some cases it 

 would be advisable only to manure those trees 

 intended to permanently occupy the land. 

 Again, one might support a larger number of 

 trees, per acre, by proper manuring. 



How Thinning-Out is Done. 

 When we come to the actual thinning-out 

 process we find that either the plants are felled 

 near the ground and the stump and roots extrac- 

 ted, or the tree is cut off at a height of about 

 eight feet. Where the basal part of the trunk 



is retained it is customary to tap this drasti- 

 cally and fiually uproot. In one or two years a 

 few pounds of rubber are obtained from each 

 shimp. Special gangs of infenortapping coolies 

 are usually entrusted with such work, it being 

 dosirable to employ only the best coolies for 

 tapping the permanent trees. The writer has 

 seen many stumps treated in this way and has 

 been struck with their manifestations of vitality 

 under such adverse circumstances ; even though 

 the stumps are densely shaded by the foliage of 

 the surrounding trees, they may throw out 

 numerous branches at the top, which, if allowed 

 to grow, would probably give the plants another 

 lease of life. If, however, thinning-out is to be 

 done properly all such stumps must be uprooted, 

 all roots removed, and every particle burnt 

 immediately. It is true that by allowing stumps 

 to retain branches the plants are kept alive and 

 the risk from disease for the time being post- 

 poned ; sooner or later all traces of the trees so 

 treated must b.. removed and destroyed. 



Leading Opinions. 



We have submitted the above to leading dir- 

 ectors and planters, and have pleasure in giving 

 the views of many who have already complied 

 with our request. Our readers will notice that 

 the opinions given below are those of planters 

 in various parts of the East and of directors who 

 have a personal knowledge of Eastern conditions 

 and of administration from this end. At a later 

 date we shall give a resume of the various views 

 now published. 



Joseph Fraser Esq. (Ceylon). 



In good soil favourably situated I prefer plan- 

 ting 20ft. by 20ft. in Ceylon, but over consider- 

 able areas I would pla it 20ft. by 10ft., then cut 

 out at 74 to years old all inferior trees in a 

 line 10ft by 10ft. Meantime I would manure 

 highly while the prices remained at an average 

 level of 3s. per lb. Trees of inferior growth I 

 would remove at 3 to 4 years of age. lo fields 

 planted 10ft by 10ft. I would thin out to 20ft, 

 by 10ft. at 3£ to 4£ years of age and manure 

 heavily. 



If the trees are even I would cut out the al- 

 ternate line entirely, but if the growth is uneven 

 I would go in tor selection, and reduce the num- 

 ber of trees per acre to about 150. 1 would en- 

 tirely remove trees that are cut out. 



R. W. Harbison, Esq, (Klang.) 



Your letter of the 15th iust. has been follow- 

 ing me all over the country. 

 In reply to your queries ;— 



