12 COCONUT PLANTER'S MANUAL. 



like the coconut. From the mode of development of the fibro- vascular 

 bundles, and the direction which they take in the stem, the trunk 

 of woody monocotyledons does not usually increase in diameter 

 beyond a certain point, and the cylindrical stems are nearly as thick at 

 the top as at the base. 



A section of the stem shows the distribution of the fibro-vascular 

 bundles throughout the ground tissue which is made up of cells, the 

 whole enclosed in a strong fibrous cortex or false bark. So that from 

 its structure the stem is capable of standing great strain and bending 

 to the force of the wiud without breaking, while the root system, with 

 its innumerable spreading branches, gives the tree such a firm grip of 

 the soil that it is only under exceptional circumstances that it gets 

 blown flat. 



It is through the vessels in the bundles, distributed throughout 

 the stem in association with fibres, that water with mineral plant food 

 in solution taken up by the roots travels up to the leaves and is there 

 converted into organic matter. 



THE ROOT. 



The coconut palm, like all monocotyledons, has no tap-root. The 

 base of the stem, where it enters the ground, is usually conical and 

 embedded to a depth of 2 or 3 feet. Its surface below, and for 

 some distance above ground is covered with the butt-ends of roots, 

 under half-an-inch in diameter, radiating from the tree in every direc- 

 tion. The normal length of the roots of full-grown tre3s varies from 

 15 to 25 feet, according as the soil is heavy or light. Sometimes they 

 extend to well over 30 feet in poor, shallow soils. The old woody 

 roots contain a central pith which tends to give them great strength 

 and elasticity. The underground part of the stem carries from 4,000 to 

 8 000 roots which may be either unbranched, or develop 10 to 20 

 branches which rarely exceed three feet in length, Both the primary 

 and secondary roots also bear numerous fine branches, wdiich may again 

 give rise to still finer branches. The finest roots last for but a short 

 time. In heavy soils a larger root system is formed than in light ones, 

 though in the latter the roots extend to a greater length. 



The roots of the coconut are protected along their length by an ex- 

 ternal covering, or jacket, which adds to their strength and thus gives 

 stability to the tree. "When parts of old roots die they are generally 



