92 



out. It has been found quite perfect and entire in every respect 

 sixty years after the tree has been cut down. At Curieuse many 

 sockets are still remaining which are known to have belonged to 

 trees cut down by the first settlers on the island. 



This curious arrangement renders it impossible that the trunk 

 could grow in a slanting position ; and there is no known instance 

 of its doing so, either on the flat, or on the steep sides of the 

 mountains, in both of which situations the tree thrives equally well. 



The high price still fetched by the nuts will ultimately be the 

 cause of their complete extinction in these islands. The growth of 

 the palm is so very slow that no one can expect to reap where he 

 has sowed, and the people consequently never take the trouble to 

 plant any for the benefit of posterity. Not content too with dig- 

 ging up those nuts that have fallen and taken root they ruthlessly 

 destroy whole trees by cutting them down for the sake of 

 the nuts and the heart leaves, which latter are used for 

 making hats, fans and baskets. Many of the trees still standing 

 are quite spoilt by the practice of cutting out these centre or heart 

 leaves, leaving the tree shorn of its beauty, and with an untidy, 

 ragged appearance. Besides the ravages of man, fire is a terrible 

 enemy to these forests, a year seldom elapsing without there be- 

 ing sufferers by accidental conflagrations, especially those forests 

 situated at the nort-west end of Praslin, in which are now found 

 only such male trees that from their height overtopped the flames 

 that destroyed the females. At the south-east end of Praslin they 

 are more plentiful the dry season being in the south-east monsoon, 

 and as the forests are to windward, they are not exposed to much 

 danger from spreading fire. 



No suggestions will induce proprietors to abandon their present 

 habit of wilfully destroying the trees for the sake of the nuts and 

 leaves, or to take some pains for the cultivation and reproduction 

 of this magnificient palm. Not many years will elapse before the 

 Coco de mer becomes in reality as rare as it was supposed to be 

 when first picked up at sea by the wondering mariners, and the 

 only relics left of its former magnificence will be the decaying 

 blackened stumps of the trees so wantonly destroyed, and the 

 curious sockets in which they stood for so many years. 



Seycelles, April l6, 1863. 



Ill* 



Letters from SiR H. BARKLEY and SWINBURNE WARD, ESQ., 



relative to the Coco de Mer 



Government House, Mauritius, 

 6th June, 1864. 

 Sir, 

 Having brought the resolution adopted by the Linnean Society, 

 on 3rd of March, relative to the destruction of the Sea Cocoa-nut 

 Tree in the Seychelles Islands, under the notice of the Civil Com- 

 missioner of that group, and called upon him to suggest officially 



* Journal of Linaean Society, IX, IStJC, p. US. 



