196 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



June 26, 1909. 



WEST INDIAN FRUIT. 



HINTS ON COCOA-NUT CULTIVATION. 



In a paper entitled 'Cocoa-nut Culture,' included 

 in the QneendanJ Aijrirulfiiral Journal, Mr. A. H. 

 Benson, Instructor in Fruit Culture to the Department 

 of Agriculture of Queensland, brings forward some 

 useful suggestions. 



As the result of personal observation avid enquiry made 

 in many cocoa-nut-growing countries, Mr. Benson mentions 

 that he has been struck with the general wai;t of care shown 

 in the selection of .seed nuts for planting. No attempts 

 whatever seem to be made to improve the strain of cocoa-nuts 

 in the East, and probably much could be done in that 

 <Iirection throughout the whole of the cocoa-nut-growing 

 region of the world. It seems proliabie that in time 

 ■varieties could be produced posse-ssing all the characters 

 most desired, viz , a large luit with little coir, containing 

 a thick fiesh, which will yield a good percentage of copra. 



As is well known, cocoa-nut trees prefer a light sandy 

 soil, and can stand the presence of a large amount of saline 

 constituents in the soil. C'onseipiently they grow best along 

 the coast-line just above high-tide-mark, where also they are 

 e.vposed to all the sea-breezes — another factor favouring tlieir 

 development. While the access of freely moving water, 

 cither salt or fresh, has been found of great use to tlie trees 

 it is necessary that the soil on whicli tliey arc growing should 

 be well drained, since stagnant water is very injurious. 



The general cultivation of the soil in a cocoa-nut planta- 

 tion is a simple matter. The chief object is to keep the 

 surface of the land in a state of good tiltli, and free from 

 weeds. This method of treatment is such as will enable 

 the soil to ri'taiu as much nuiisturo as possible — an 

 important point when dealing with light .sandy soils. 



Cocoa-nut palms require fairly large supplies of nitrogen 

 and potash. Phosphates are demanded to a smaller extent, 

 but lime is also essential. In th<; case of sandy beaches, 

 however, a sutticient supply of this will be naturally present, 

 in the form of ground up shells. Nitrogen may often be clu^aply 

 Applied by growing some legrnninous crop beneath the trees, 

 iind ploughing the green vegetation into the .soil. By this 

 means the land is ke^it in a state of good tilth, and the 

 supply of humus is maintained - a point which is of great 

 im[iortance in eoinie.xion with the water-holding capacity of 

 the soil. It does not appear to be necessary to give an 

 application of potash until the trees come into bearing, but 

 after this time its use will probably be found to have a very 

 distinct influence. on the yield o/ nuts jiroduced. 



Animal manure is alsri highly valual'le, but is frequently 



dirticult to obtain in districts where cocoa-nut cultivation is 

 carried on. Speaking generally, it woidd appear that the 

 judicious manuring of cocoa-nut groves is a matter which 

 receives insutKcient attention in most countries where the 

 crop is grown. 



.Seed nuts to be used in raising a'rrop are usually first 

 planted in a nur.sery. A practice generally adopted is to 

 keep the nuts in heaps, to moisten them in dry weather, and 

 CO set them out as soon as they show signs of sprouting. 

 The nursery should be partially .shaded. 



When about 18 inches to 2 feet high, the young .seedlings 

 may be [ilanteLl out where they are to grow permanently. 

 Holes are dug at distances of 30 by 20 feet apart, 

 and should be 2 to 3 feet square and 2 feet deep. At the 

 bottom of the holes are placed a few spadefuls of a mixture 

 of top soil and cow manure. The young plant is put in and 

 the roots are covered by a small iptantity of fine earth, the hole 

 remaining open, as it will eventually be filled by the trunk 

 of the tree. 



While the young trees are grosviiig, subsidiary crops 

 may be planted lietween the rows. Such crops should not 

 make too heavy a demand on the soil. Bine-ajijiles, peanuts, 

 cotton or sweet potatos are useful for this purjjose. The 

 subsidiary crops should alternate with leguminous green 

 dressings so that the su]jply of nitrogen in the soil may be 

 maintained. 



The cocoa-nuts should be gathered when fully ripe, and 

 not allowed to fall to the ground, more especially when they 

 are to be used for seed purjjoses. 



When the nuts are utilized for the manufacture of copra, 

 the husk is first removed, and the husked mil is then split in 

 half to allow of the removal of the tiesli. Drying in the sun 

 for a short time facilitates this removal, which is effected by 

 means of a short curved knife. 



The most tqi-to-date method of drying the copra is by 

 means of a fruit evaporator. In many countries, however, 

 the practice still exists f>f drying it in the sun, or over 

 a somewhat primitive kiln. The former method reipiircs some 

 three days, whereas kiln drying only take^ about tweufcy-four 

 hours. 



While suggesting that fairly extensive cocao-nut plant- 

 ing could ])robably be made remunerative in Northern 

 Queensland, Mr. Benson is of opinion, that in order to make 

 the industry a success, it would be necessary for the 

 individual [ilanter, or a combination of planters, to erect up- 

 to-date machinery 'for the preparation and drying of the 

 copra, and also, probably, for extracting the oil from the 



