112 



causes of the disease of the coco-nut palm which was reported 

 to be prevalent among the coco-nut plantations in that island, 

 and to suggest, if possible, remedial measures. 



2. Leaving Barbados on July ioth, I reported immediately on 

 my arrival in Port-of-Spain to the acting Colonial Secretary. 

 After examining the coco-nut trees around Port-of-Spain at 

 Cocorite and Laventille I proceeded to Cedros, where the disease 

 was reported to be causing the most damage. There my head- 

 quarters were made, and a small laboratory for the experimental 

 investigation of diseased material was established. From Cedros, 

 I visited practically all the coco-nut districts of the island, 

 inspecting in all some twenty-nine estates besides many peasant 

 properties. I was, therefore, able to examine trees receiving 

 different degrees of cultivation, etc., growing under varying 

 conditions of soil and climate, and to obtain a fairly accurate idea 

 of the economic importance of the diseases under investigation. 



3. During my stay in Trinidad, I received every possible 

 attention and assistance from the officials of the Colony, and also 

 from the planters, who afforded me every facility for carrying out 

 my investigations. I, therefore, take this opportunity of tendering 

 my thanks for the assistance I received from everyone, and more 

 especially to Mr. J. H. Hart, F.L.S., the Superintendent of the 

 Royal Botanic Gardens, for many valuable suggestions and for the 

 use of his laboratory at the St. Clair Experiment Station, and to 

 Mrs. Greig and the manager in charge of the estates owned by 

 W. Greig, Esq., in the Cedros district for their kindness in afford- 

 ing ready means of transportation through the southern extremity 

 of the island. 



4. The coco-nut thrives best on a thoroughly permeable soil, 

 from which it can obtain a copious supply of water, and it is 

 doubtless for this reason that the rich permeable, well-drained 

 alluvial soils which generally border on the sea shore are held to 

 be the best suited for successful cultivation. It would, however, 

 appear that soil conditions are of far greater importance to the 

 growth of the coco-nut than the exposure to sea breezes, for the 

 amount of water present in the roots of the coco-nut palm show 

 that a large supply of this fluid is necessary. 



5. It is estimated that 14,000 acres were under coco-nut cultiva- 

 tion in Trinidad in IQ02,* but the recent improvement in the prices 

 for coco-nuts and their products has induced more planting to be 

 done. A much larger acreage is now devoted to their cultivation. 



6. The chief coco-nut districts in Trinidad are the Cedros and 

 Icacos districts which form the south-western portion of the island, 

 the coast line between Manzanilla and the Galeota points on the 

 East Coast where the plantations are contiguous (referred to in 

 this report as the Mayaro district) and parts of the coast line 

 between La Brea and Cedros points on the West Coast known as 

 the La Brea and Oropuche district.! There are besides a few 



* West Indian Bulletin Vol. vi., p. 149. 



t The southernmost portion of this district is referred to in this report as the 

 Guapo District. 



