( 19 ) 
area do not appear adversely to affect the trees.’ 
Hill land, or any land very subject to white ants, 
is less suitable, as white ants are the most serious 
pest of kapok trees in this country. 
The methods of cultivation of kapok must be judged 
mainly from general agricultural experience rather 
than actual knowledge of plantation conditions for 
this crop; for apart from new plantations in the 
Philippine Islands, Java, and Siam the crop has not 
been planted on a large scale. 
The land should be well cultivated, and kapok seed 
planted, either “ seed to stake ” or in a nursery. 
The best planting distance is twenty feet square, 
which allows just sufficient room for the branches, 
and space for other cultural operations between the 
rows. Growth is very rapid, and in the case of 
plantations planted seed to stake, a selection of the 
particular seedling to be left at stake must be made 
at an early stage. In so far as the kapok tree is 
concerned, 110 further cultural operations are con- 
sidered necessary, although it is of advantage to 
the trees to retain the soil in a state of cultivation. 
It must be remembered too that when the tree comes 
into bearing, the ground must be fairly clear to 
facilitate harvesting operations. Kapok may also 
be planted from branch or stem cuttings, but this 
practice carries with it many objections. The trees 
thus propagated will commence bearing about one 
season before trees obtained from seed, but such 
trees. are more liable to the attack of white ants, 
are more likely to fall in high winds owing to the 
absence of tap-roots, and have a much shorter life 
than trees obtained from seed. 
