CULTIVATION, DRAINAGE AND MANURING. 
By F. Or. Spring, n.d.a., f.l.s. 
(Agrie ulturisi , F. M. 8 . ) 
J N tlio past few years many changes and improvements have been 
made in rubber planting* but this is only what would have been 
expected considering the size and importance of the industry. It 
cannot b claimed, however, that there has been any great advance- 
ment in knowledge of soil culture and artificial fertilizers as applied 
to rubber land. The varying conditions under which a rubber tree 
can be grown are partly responsible for the somewhat slow progress. 
Hilly and Hat lands should not be treated in all respects alike and the 
same applies to heavy and light soils, deep and shallow. 
The objects of tillage are to make the soil lighter, more porous 
and permeable to roots, to enable vegetable and mineral matter to 
decompose more rapidly, to promote oxidation and stimulate the 
activity of nitrifying bacteria, to loosen the particles of soil and mix 
them, to check the growth of weeds and reduce soil evaporation. 
Sou- Cultivation and Drainage, 
Tillage is of the utmost importance but it requires to be applied 
to suit conditions. Heavy yields of rubber are obtained, in many 
instances, on land which has never been tilled and which is com- 
paratively poor in essential plant food constituents but in such cases 
it is generally found that the mechanical condition or mixture of the 
soil is excellent. Rich lands are sometimes very poor yielders and this 
may lie owing to quite a variety of causes but a not uncommon one is 
mixture of soil. The mechanical condition of a soil is of the greatest 
importance in rubber growing, more so, perhaps, than its chemical. 
Improvements can be effected in this direction by tillage and the 
turning under of green manures, the latter opens up heavy soils and 
renders light soils heavier, or in other words tends to establish an 
equilibrium. 
1 will deal in the first place with hill cultivation and then refer 
to treatment of undulating and fiat lands. It is common knowledge 
that tillage cannot be carried out on hill land without considerable 
loss by surface wash, but several methods may be adopted to enable 
one to cultivate a soil properly and yet reduce surface wash to a 
minimum. A cover-crop on the land is a reliable preventative, but, 
unfortunately, there is always a period of soil wash following tillage 
even with a plant which rapidly reproduces itself. 
Terracing has much in its favour but can only be recommended 
provided it is done previous to planting. The terraces require to be 
