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'The Supplement to the Tropical Agriculturist 



get more rubber by careless or deep tapping ; 

 and (2) that the coolies get into bad habits, and 

 that the strictest rules must be observed with 

 all trees with the object of training them 

 correctly, 



(6) I thought that Fomes spread as much 

 along live roots as along dead ones. And also 

 that unless a source of Fomes is already present 

 there was no chance of its arising spontaneously 

 even in dead stuff. 



[Fomes semitostus generally commences on 

 dead roots as a saprophyte and continues on 

 living material as a parasite.— Ed. " J.R.J,"] 



H. M. Alleyn, Esq (Ceylon) 

 You are tackling the most difficult planting 

 problem there is. 



Number of Trees.— I think that at 8 years 

 the number should not exceed 100 to 120 

 per acre, and at 10 years 75 tree per acre, 

 variation allowances according to soil, climate, 

 and growth to be made. 



Method of Thinning, etc. — I should adopt a 

 square system, i.e., I would take blocks of, say, 

 4 lines and 4 trees, i. e., 16 trees in all, and cut 

 out a definite number of the weakest trees each 

 year. Vacancies to be counted as trees. If 

 trees cut out are in bearing they might be sawed 

 across at 10 ft. or so. The stumps tapped all 

 over every two or three days for three months, 

 and then finally pulled out by mechanical lifters, 

 jacks, or chains, or any other means, 



The taking of trees in blocks and the selection 

 of the weaker trees therein would operate much 

 the same as selection in use in English forestry, 

 etc. To detail the process (a) Mark out each 

 block by wooden pegs ; (b) select your trees for 

 destruction and mark them with whitewash ; (c) 

 when passed as correct by superintendent, put 

 in the sawyers or axemen. 



If trees are 200 per acre, and age is six years, 

 then 80 to 100 have to cut out over two years, 

 i. e., 40 to 50 per annum, or 20 to 25 per cent, 

 for each year, counting vacancies and cut outs 

 as trees. Thus if 25 per cent, has to be cut out 

 per annum, then blocks of 16 trees should be 

 taken, i.e., four lines by four trees, if 20 per 

 cent, has to he taken out each year, then blocks 

 of three lines by five trees might be taken, and 

 out of each 15 trees in a block (including vacan- 

 cies) three trees might be cut out per annum. 

 This may in certain cases tend to develop 

 clumps or groups of trees. Growth in clumps 

 does not appear to be retarding to the trees, 

 provided clumps are small, as in such case the 

 trees obtain the necessary sunlight. 



J. C. Tate, Esq (Langkat Sumatba). 

 I read your notes on thinning-out with great 

 interest. 



With reference to the thinning-out of closely 

 planted areas, I am of the opinion that it would 

 be a bad system to remove alternate lines what- 

 ever distances the trees were planted. I think the 

 right line to take is the removal of the weaklings 

 and badly grown trees, thus giviDg light and air 

 and growing space to the surrounding trees. 

 During my recent visit to the East I strongly 

 advocated this system to the managers, and ad- 

 vised the spaces being left unplanted where the 

 ground was prepared for supplies. 



I think that it would be useless to put in a 

 supply unless there is radius of at least 40 to 

 50 feet. 



This part of the planters' work struck me as 

 particularly open to censure, for what I saw of 

 supply planting showed that they disregarded 

 the first rudiments of forostry, viz., the domina- 

 nating and dominated tree. 



Again, in thickly planted areas, the removal 

 of trees should be done gradually, so that those 

 remaining should not be exposed to strong 

 winds or rain storms before they have got a firm 

 hold of the ground, and accustomed themselves 

 to stand alone. No doubt we should not like to 

 s 5e a less number of trees than 70 to the acre, 

 and I do not think that a carefully planted and 

 tended acre of 100 trees should get below this 

 figure, say, in 10 years. I rather prefer a plan- 

 ting distance of 30 feet by 15 feet than 20 feet 

 by 20 feet, as the former, in my opinion, gives a 

 sturdier tree. 



Since 1 have been connected with the rubber 

 industry I have advocated 5 to 10 acres being 

 planted yearly (where extension work has been 

 stopped) to make up for losses by diseases and 

 storms. The planter should carry out such work 

 with special care, and in this way a fine addition 

 would be made to the planted area making up 

 for losses in the older areas. 



Of course, it will be understood that I 

 am referring to supplies planted in three- 

 year old rubber and more. I see you 

 advocate taking as much rubber as possible 

 from the tree before removal. I should be in- 

 clined to disregard this advantage to the crop on 

 the grounds that little or nothing would be ob- 

 tained from those trees which are to be cut out, 

 for only the weaklings and sapling supplies 

 would be removed. Managers should be in- 

 structed to take out all roots and leave the 

 ground perfectly clean and the trunk, brunches 



