461 
INTER-CROPS. 
By  L.  F.  Turner. 
The  question  of  the  advisability,  or  otherwise,  of  planting 
‘‘inter-crops,”  is  not  one  that  can  be  answered  off  hand ; at  first 
sight  it  seems  to  be  the  one  thing  to  do,  but  many  things  have  to 
be  considered  in  connection  with  it,  and  the  object  of  this  paper  is 
not  to  treat  the  matter  as  settled  either  way,  or  to  enlarge  on  the 
advantages  of  any  particular  crop,  but  to  endeavor  to  provoke  a 
discussion  which  may  throw  more  light  on  the  subject,  and  by  so 
doing  benefit  all  who  are  interested. 
Any  crop  of  economic  value,  rubber  not  excepted,  maj  be  culti- 
vated at  a profit,  provided  soil  and  climate  are  suitable,  and  there 
is  an  available  market  for  the  product;  some  crops,  however,  re- 
quire a much  longer  time  than  others  for  their  development,  and 
the  problem  of  providing  capital  may  easily  become  a very  serious 
one. 
Rubber  will  require  more  or  less  care  for  from  three  to  five 
years,  and  during  this  period  little  or  no  returns  can  be  expected. 
The  trees  can  be  made  to  grow  much  more  rapidly  by  thorough 
and  careful  cultivation,  and  fertilizing,  and  if  a method  can  be 
devised  by  which  this  can  be  done  without  cost  to  the  planter  it 
is  self-evident  that  such  method  should  receive  the  most  careful 
consideration.  It  follows  therefore  that  if  an  “inter-crop”  will 
accomplish  this,  its  cultivation  is  of  the  utmost  importance.  Pro- 
vided, 
1.  That  it  does  not  rob  the  soil  to  too  great  an  extent ; 
2.  That  it  does  not  cost  too  much  to  render  the  land  available 
for  its  cultivation ; 
3.  That  its  cultivation  does  not  in  any  way  injure  the  rubber 
trees,  nor  check  their  growth ; 
4.  That  it  does  not  draw  from  the  labor  force  that  is  required 
for  the  extension  and  development  of  the  permanent  crop. 
It  must  always  be  borne  in  mind  that  rubber  is  the  object  sought 
by  the  rubber  planter ; not  corn,  nor  potatoes,  nor  cotton ; if  these 
things  will  contribute,  well  and  good ! But  they  must  necessarily 
be  of  a contributory  nature,  or  his  entire  policy  is  changed.  It 
must  also  be  borne  in  mind  that  he  can  only  cultivate  profitably 
among  rubber  trees  (of  the  Ceara  species  at  any  rate)  for  from 
two  to  two  and  a half  years.  If  the  trees  have  been  properly 
cared  for  and  are  as  vigorous  as  they  should  be  at  that  age  their 
roots  will  by  that  time  have  met  and  interlaced,  and  the  cultiva- 
tion of  other  crops  must  necessarily  cease. 
Again,  rubber  trees  are  frequently  planted  on  land  not  suitable 
for  intensive  cultivation,  or,  not  in  a suitable  condition.  A rough 
forest  clearing  for  example,  or  land,  too  steep  or  too  rocky  for 
the  plow.  Such  land  may  be  very  rich,  and  yet  only  suitable  for 
