AGRICULTURAL BULLETIN 
OF THE 
STRAITS 
AND 
F E D K R A T E D MALAY STATES. 
NOVEMBER, 1904. [Voi.. 111 
LAYERING RUBBER TREES. 
Plates VII and VIII. 
- The tenacity of life in the Para rubber tree and its great vege- 
tative powers are well known to in, any who have cultivated and 
observed it, and is well illustrated by the photographs of layered 
trees given with this number of the Bulletin. The trees shown in 
the plates were overset in a gale of wind some twelve or more 
years ago when they were fairly big trees. The tops of the trees 
died off and the prostrate trunks threw up a various number 0! 
shoots, which have grown into strong trunks. The main trunk and 
a portion of the roots remain half buried in the soil, and can be 
seen in the figures. One tree has produced four, another six trunks 
of <7 O 0 d size and thoroughly healthy and all; have been tapped 
yielding good results. Others have produced two or three or more. 
No particular attention was paid to these trees during their growth, 
or it would probably have been possible to increase the number of 
the stems. 'The measurements of the stems now are the one with, 
six stems from 18 to 24 inches circumference at 3 feet from the 
base, one with four stems 27 to 44, one with three stems 16 inches 
to 25. They averaged in tapping <8 ozs. of rubber at one tapping. 
It will often happen in windy spots that trees will be overturned 
by a gale and these photographs show it is by no means necessary 
to destroy trees so-fallen. They should be laid quite prostrate and 
earth banked up along the fallen trunk about half way and ti e top 
of the tree should be cut off. In a few weeks shoots will appear 
often abundantly from the upper part of the trunk and these often 
produced in great abundance should be thinned ou:, till only eight 
or so are left and these at some distance apart. 
In many places it may not. be worth while to layer trees but the 
plan would be useful in very windy spots, for trees so layered can- 
not be blown over as they retain a strong, hold on the ground, by 
