Gums, Resins, 



112 



(August, 1908. 



not more than 3 or 4 % of failures 

 occurred. In places where the soil is 

 somewhat sandy the failures were more 

 frequent. 



Later experience has proved that the 

 cheapest and surest method is to plant 

 the seeds at stake. Nearly a year's 

 growth is thus gained, and it does away 

 with the expensive replanting, where 

 failures occur under the transplanting 

 method. The seeds are planted in small 

 hills, about seven seeds in each hill, three 

 inches between the seeds. The hills are 

 at a distance of about seven feet in rows 

 twelve feet apart. 



In planting in this manner we allow 

 for a high percentage of failures in 

 germination ; we can give ants, lizards 

 and field rats their due amount and we 

 still have plants in abundance. This 

 method has now been practised for 

 several years with success. There are 

 no complete failures in any hills, except- 

 where planting has been done in ground 

 which is too acid. In such places we 

 may have to replant in small patches 

 after proper drainage has been prepared 

 for, and for this purpose we use excess 

 plants growing in the neighbourhood. 

 During the first few months seedlings 

 backward, misshaped, or where crowd- 

 ing is observed, should be thinned at 

 the time of each weeding. Generally at 

 least 50 % of all the seedlings should be 

 cut out during the first six months. 

 This thinning should be continued 

 during subsequent years until at the 

 end of the six years from sowing. There 

 are approximately 800 trees to the acre. 

 Tne best 400 trees are to remain perma- 

 nently, and are not touched before they 

 have reached 26 or 28 inches in circum- 

 ference at three feet from the ground. 

 The intermediate trees are tapped, when 

 six years old, very heavily, that is, as 

 much latex as possible is extracted. A 

 few weeks later the trees are inspected. 

 Those that have suffered from the 

 tapping should be marked and doomed. 

 If they still yield latex they are cut up 

 with numerous incisions, and a few days 

 afterwards the scrap is collected and 

 the trees felled. Those trees that pro- 

 mise to recuperate should be left un- 

 touched for four months, when they are 

 again tapped in the regular way. After 

 a second inspection they should be 

 killed. Exceptional trees which do not 

 crowd upon the permanent trees may 

 be left to the following or seventh year, 

 when they are tapped with an ultimate 

 view to their destruction. At the end 

 of the seventh year we have 400 trees to 

 the acre. 



A most important item in the formation 

 of a plantation is an efficient drainage. In 



this work every fall of the ground must 

 be taken advantage of, and in many cases 

 much may be done by straightening and 

 clearing existing watercourses. 



The question of draining for rubber 

 has been overlooked in the whole of 

 Mexico. Most planters claim that it is 

 sufficient to have what is called " a good 

 natural drainage." This is a mistake. 

 The Eastern planter has fully realized 

 this, and even on very sloping land 

 drains are made before the rubber is 

 planted. I do not remember having 

 seen a single rubber plantation in the 

 East, where this was not done. 



The object of draining is not only to 

 provide an outlet for the surface water, 

 but to drain the ground down to a 

 certain depth. 



In commencing the work the position 

 of the main outlets must first be deter- 

 mined. The main drains are next opened 

 according to the fall of the ground, and 

 miriior conduits are formed up and down 

 the face of the slope. It is impossible to 

 lay down definite rules as to the exact 

 method of making the drains. The fault 

 of overdraining must be guarded against 

 as well as its opposite extreme. 



Much has been written and said about 

 the disease of rubber trees. We have 

 been fortunate enough in Mexico not to 

 be bothered with any serious outbreak, 

 but it is necessary that we be very care- 

 ful and keep a constant watch over any 

 disease that may appear. In this respect 

 the Planters' Association has a great 

 mission by undertaking systematic and 

 organized inquiries. We know perfectly 

 well that every cultivated plant has 

 its enemies and it would be wrong to 

 assume, that the rubber tree would be 

 the sole exception to this rule. As a 

 matter of fact, we know that the rubber 

 tree is attacked by many various 

 enemies. 



Perpetual immunity from disease can- 

 not be expected, and every possible step 

 to prevent the occurrence of an epidemic 

 must be observed. 



The larger the area planted with one 

 particular crop, the greater the danger 

 of an outbreak. A single crop system 

 is for this reason most unsuitable and 

 even disastrous. 



Where no natural enemies exist, the 

 changed conditions caused by a large 

 acreage being put under a single product 

 call forth new diseases. 



Special measures have to be taken to 

 meet such an emergency. Where vast 

 continuous areas have been planted with 

 one product, it is imperative that protec- 



