42 
are heaviest about three months before maturity, and the loss by premature 
falling becomes considerable within five months after a drought first 
becomes serious. At about the same time the drought makes itself felt in 
injury to the crop through another channel. At all times some nuts are 
destroyed by crows, but the loss is usually inconsiderable. However, in 
a period of drought, when other food is scarce and the water courses are 
dry, they concentrate their attention on the young coconuts and accom- 
plish no little destruction. 
The injury to the tree’s vitality during a prolonged drought is so severe 
that the return of favorable weather conditions is but slowly followed by’ 
the resumption of the normal activity. When rains come, the roots must 
awaken from a state of defensive rest in which a prompt response can not 
be expected. The partly folded condition of the pinnew, induced by the 
dryness, seems permanently to remain; at any rate, recovery from it is 
very slow. A tree which through unfavorable conditions has only twenty- 
five leaves remaining has not the strength, even under the best conditions, 
at once to return to the formation of new leaves at the rate which is neces- 
sary for the maintenance of a head of thirty. Recovery after a drought 
is a building-up process, and it must be a slow one. It can hardly be 
complete in two years, and the return to the normal crop of ripe nuts 
which can be produced during uninterrupted good seasons can only be 
well under way in this time. 
There is no record of the rainfall at San Ramon prior to September, 
1903. The beginning of that year was a period of drought, like the 
one which has characterized the early months of 1905, but the former 
can not have been as intense as the latter, for the springs did not so com- 
pletely disappear. The following record of the number of nuts cut shows 
how gradually this drought made itself felt and how prolonged its effects 
have been.** 
Jamuary, 1903.........2...22.2....scececsesssercencensennanonesesscesneosemmesagnansesuonengert 55,160 
Miahy, 1008..........--c..c--.-cesttniseedooeaceceaseescngstitapesueronta nthe skeaniann 50,000 
Amorist, VDOS  --)u5.2-.csce-ceosceny-=2n0i-nccsansenqnenus seumer vena eet eas aaa 45,000 
Wovyember, 1903 -........:--...-:c:-0:-sessseceneseseagerenerere32-09-05p er 40,723 
February, 1004 .2.-.........2..0........-cssceeres-ceodenecenessesesuannen sina 30,637 
Wing LODE oo... c nase cass estescceece snes eeoersesenahontgenags anand 33,800 
Armguist, L008 Wn... occ sccsees sce ssecseereeecensmeseesetnemmestinnsen=sttt ean 39,765 
November, 1004 eccicnc..csccc..-csce-icseseee-ssscduggeseuep eae bangen etm 30,208 
Mabrnry, 206: icccieicecccsisee.ic..-.......-..nntkd eae pla ea $1,972. 
May, 1905. ...........ccccccsecessseedeceeeeceeceeseeeeeeetecennenstennesensntenenennsnnasseaenaneas 61,550 
The report of the superintendent of the farm for June, 1902, states 
that there were at that time 5,722 coconut trees in bearing on the farm 
and that 1,809 trees should begin to bear within two years from that date. 
“The nuts are cut every three months. ‘lhe work is done by contract, at the rate 
of 2 pesos per 1,000. This record is made from the “general-expense vouchers” 
for the expense of cutting. 
