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comparatively little importance, when one considers the marked deteriora- 
tion produced by micro-organisms acting on copra and impure oil. If 
stored in nearly air-tight containers very little if any oxidation should 
take place even on long standing or on transportation. ‘The main points 
to remember are that the copra from which oil is made should be fresh 
and be prepared under as good conditions of drying as possible and the oil 
should be thoroughly dried and filtered until absolutely clear. If properly 
prepared, it should then be capable of shipment without noticeable dete- 
rioration. It is obvious that the best results will be obtained by express- 
ing the oil in the country in which copra is dried, and by using the best 
machinery for preparing the latter. 
SUMMARY. 
Soil_—In attempting by means of soil analyses to explain why coconut 
trees growing near the seashore are more prolific than those planted 
farther inland, it was observed that— 
(1) Chemically, there is very little difference in soils from the two 
localities, those from inland regions being, if anything, a little more 
fertile. 
(2) The salt water from the sea has no influence on trees in its vicinity, 
as only amounts of chlorine so small as to be negligible were found to be 
present even at the bases of coconut trees which were actually growing on 
the beach. 
(3) The greater porosity of soils near the sea, coupled with the fact 
that they are, as a rule, practically saturated with water at a distance of 
only a few feet beneath the surface of the ground, is the principal reason 
why they are more suitable for trees like the coconut, which require an 
enormous quantity of water for their growth. 
(4) Although good coconut soils are apparently almost devoid of fertil- 
ity, yet, taking into account the character of coconut roots and the large 
area from which each tree draws nourishment, it can be demonstrated 
that there exists an ample supply of nutriment for their growth. 
The nut; age in reference to quality —(1) The variations among in- 
dividual nuts is sufficiently great to render exact conclusions from analyt- 
ical data difficult, but, taking the average of a number of determinations, 
there appears to be a slight increase in the proportion of meat, copra, and 
oil in nuts which have been stored up to a maximum time of three months 
after cutting. Beyond this period there is a decided decrease in these 
constituents. Nuts taken from the same tree show somewhat less indi- 
vidual variation. 
(2) Four series of ten nuts each, of varying degrees of ripeness, showed 
a marked difference in the amount of copra and of oil to be obtainable 
from them, the percentage of the oil in a green nut being only about 
one-half of that which it is when the nut is fully ripe. This ripening 
process continues to some extent, on storage, after cutting. 
