General Cultivation 
Soil Culti- Agriculture in this country has ad- 
vation. vanced enormously during the past 
few years and is now being developed 
on more scientific lines. The rubber industry in 
the Peninsula has grown in the last twenty years 
from a relatively small acreage to a total of approxi- 
mately one and a quarter million acres. One would 
naturally expect that methods of soil treatment 
would have been improved and kept pace with this 
rapid increase. 
There is little tillage conducted on rubber estates 
and, in many instances, the lie of the land will not 
permit of this as the steep slopes are liable to sur- 
face erosion. As far as rubber is concerned it is 
questionable whether deep tillage will repay the cost 
of the operation, but if it is recommended, then it 
should be done in conjunction with green manuring. 
On badly drained, flat land, where the root system 
is superficial, deep tillage is disastrous as the roots 
are severely damaged. Shallow tillage towards the 
end of the wet season is beneficial as it assists in 
retaining soil moisture over the dry period. 
The coconut palm responds well to tillage and 
several coconut estates are now using motor tractors. 
This palm is grown almost entirely on the plains 
and to a small extent on undulating land where 
tractors can be used. 
& 2 -48 
