176 

 THE COCONUT BEETLES. 



Oryctes rhiaoceros and RKynchophorus ferrugiiveus. 



The Coconut Trees Preservation Ordinance. No. IV of l89(V 

 declares that it is the duty of the owner or person is charge of a. 

 coconut trv.e, dead or attacked by either of the two common coconut 

 beetles to uproot the tree, to burn or to bury it in the ground at a 

 depth of not less than three feet or to submerge it. 



The Ordinance and the Amendment, Ordinance No. IX of 1895, 

 give powers to certain inspecting officers to order that this duty be 

 carried out. 



A great improvement in the condition of the coconut trees of 

 Singapore was recorded as the result of the enforcing of the Act 

 But now, time having obscured the difference between the former 

 state of the beetle-attacked plantations and their improved condition,, 

 it has become a not uncommon thing for plantation-owners to claim 

 that the stumps are not dangerous, and sometimes the order to re- 

 move them is met by a grumble that the cost is heavy. In conse- 

 quence of this, a little reminder of the necessity of removing the- 

 stumps appears desirable ; and in the following paragraphs with a 

 view to removing misapprehensions it is shown what part they play in 

 furnishing a breeding ground for the common Rhinoceros beetle, and 

 how this beetle prepares the breeding ground for the more destructive 

 Palm-weevil. 



The cheapest way of removing accumulations of stumps known to 

 the writer is by the use of explosives. Before recommending it, expe- 

 riments were tried in Singapore which may be at once briefly des- 

 cribed: the experiments were done by Mr. MacQueen, Agent for 

 Messrs. Nobel's Explosives Company, Ltd., in the presence of the 

 writer. 



For the purpose in the first instance a row of living stumps was 

 chosen, — stumps of trees newly felled under the Municipal Act: the 

 wood was hard and healthy, and the utmost possible resistance was- 

 to be expected. To prepare a place for the explosive, a hole was drilled 

 into each stump on the ground level passing a little beyond the 

 centi-e, and into this hole the charge was put, and exploded. In the 

 second instance standing dead trees were taken and similarly prepar- 

 ed, charged :\iv\ the charge exploded. These were the results :— 



four cartridges of blasting gelatine, properly placed in the base 

 of a stump, and exploded, blew it so much to pieces that 

 it was not necessary even to pick up the piece'--, 



four cartridges of blasting gelatine similarly placed in the base 

 of a standing dead tree, and exploded, brought it down 

 leaving in the grc^und insufficient to serve as a breeding 

 place for the Rhinoceros beetle, and freeing the trunk so- 

 that it could be removed easily. 



