Gums, Resins, 



6 



PRUNING AND HASTENING MATURITY. 



Another subject which is of importance to planters with young clearings, 

 and directly connected with distance in planting, is pruning. We all know how 

 Para rubber plants, closely or widely planted, tend to produce long whippy stems 

 with single whorls of leaves, and that when thirty years old they may consist of 

 gigantic forest trees, nearly 100 feet in height, such as can be seen at Henaratgoda. 

 We also know, from our experience on estates with large acreages of rubber in 

 bearing, that the labour supply necessary for tapping the trees from the base to a 

 height of six to ten feet is very considerable. It must also be remembered that 

 the complete removal of the bark tissues from the base to 6 or 10 feet is an operation 

 which will tax the powers of the tree, and if repeated too frequently may be the 

 cause of premature death. From these considerations, evei: though I have obtained 

 tremendous yields from the upper parts of the giants at our Henaratgoda gardens 

 I cannot help but think that it would be unwise for planters to speculate on the 

 rubber they are going to obtain, ten years hence, from the long stems of their 

 Para trees. The production of 3, 5, 10 and 25 lbs. of rubber per year from individual 

 trees tapped mainly from the base to ten feet will more than satisfy most planter, 

 when they have to find the coolies to tap the clearings they are now planting. 

 In my opinion— and I do hope you will correct me today if I am wrong — the question 

 for planters to consider is how soon can tapping operations be commenced in order 

 to shorten the long years of waiting, and to place the rubber on the market while 

 the price is high. Remember that by the time the pet clearings you have just 

 planted are in bearing, Ceylon will have 60,000 acres of such trees on the tap, the 

 Straits considerably more, and that India, Java, Africa, Borneo, Sumatra, Samoa, 

 Brazil, and the West Indies are also in the race. I mention this merely to draw 

 attention to the fact that the supplies for the future are rapidly increasing, and 

 it is just as well that every effort should be made to bring the trees to a tappable 

 size and to obtain and sell your rubber while the price is over 5s. per lb. When the 

 price drops to what it was ten years ago, viz., about 3.s. per lb., then you can perhaps 

 give your trees a rest and let them grow, uninterrupted, as nature may determine. 



WHEN TO TAP, AND PRUNING. 



Our subject is closely associated with the production of trees of a tappable 

 size, and we must, therefore, discuss this question. Opinion seems divided as to 

 whether age or size should form the criterion in deciding when trees should first be 

 tapped ; but I am of the opinion that, given a minimum age of four years, size is the 

 consideration of most importance. Trees younger than four years can usually be 

 disregarded because the rubber from them is invariably poor in quality and 

 quantity, and the removal of bark from them would probably appreciably affect 

 their health and future vigour. Trees, when four years of age or more, vary 

 considerably in size ; but if they have a circumference of much less than 20 inches 

 a yard from the ground, systematic tapping cannot be confidently recommended. 

 If the trees have this circumference, tapping can be commenced, and we have now 

 to consider what means are at hand which will affect the acquiring of the required 

 dimensions. Of course, good tillage and manuring Avill always be a great help, but 

 I propose today to discuss another question, namely, the production of increased 

 foliage by careful pruning. 



EFFECT OF FORKING. 



You have been previously treated to a general discussion on this subject by 

 correspondents to the Press ; but as most of the points have been inadequately 

 touched upon, and my original suggestions more often than not grossly misinter- 

 preted, I think it will be as well if we can clear the air at this meeting. Since I first 

 suggested the experiment of pruning whippy Para trees, I have obtained numerous 

 letters quoting the dimensions of straight-stemmed and forked trees of the same 



