120 ME, S. WAED ON THE COCO DE MER. 



5. This forest is tlie property of a Mr. Campbell ; and I am glad 

 to be a"ble to report that more care is taken of the trees here than 

 is the case in any other part of the island. They may he seen in 

 all stages of growth, from the sharp, sword-shaped spattie just 

 shooting from the ground, to palms one hundred and twenty feet 

 in height, long since arrived at maturity, and at whose age it is 

 impossible even to guess. None are actually planted by the 

 proprietor ; but he occasionally allows nuts to remain and take 

 root where they full ; and as the trees are usually surrounded at 

 tlie base by thick undergrowth, many other nuts are overlooked 

 by the men employed to collect them, a certain amoimt of repro- 

 duction being thus ensured. 



6. The leaves of the male trees alone are cut for the sake of 

 the material from which hats, fans, and baskets are made. Cut- 

 ting these leaves prevents the trees from giving any blossom ; but 

 the male trees preponderate over the female, and those growing 

 in almost inaccessible spots, which flower undisturbed, are quite 

 sufficient to fecundate all the female trees in the district. The 

 flowering process continues for years; and the small blossoms that 

 spring from the huge catkin forming the basis, as it w^ere, of the 

 flow^ers, are reproduced, apparently, ad infinitum, 



7. A comparatively small number of trees are found on Curi- 

 euse Island, and these never attain the same size and perfection 

 as those at Praslin. Soon after my arrival, I gave directions to 

 Mr. Porbes, in charge of the lesser establishment, to keep up 

 the supply by planting germinating nuts ; but he succeeded with 

 but a small proportion of those planted. Unfortunately, too, 

 several trees Avhicli were thriving in the vicinity of the cemetery 

 were accidentally burnt. I have directed him to plant all the 

 germinating nuts that he can find for the future, and to take all 

 the care he can of the trees now remaining. 



8. When at Praslin, I selected a Coco de Mer with a perfect 

 healthy germ nearly a foot in length, which I forwarded to Sir 

 "William Hooker, by the 'Noma,' on the 11th instant. 



I have the honour to be, Sir, 



Your most obedient Servant, 

 (Signed) Swixeitrke Waed, 



Civil Commissioner. 



To the JIoHourahle the Colonial Secretary^ Sfc. 



