82 COCONUT PLANTER'S MANUAL. 



Any one desirous of going for coconut cultivation would do well to 

 carefully consider my remarks on soils, and also disabuse his mind of 

 the very prevalent fallacy, mainly amongst Europeans, that coconut trees 

 come into bearing in six years. This occurs only on the finest soils, and 

 even then the bulk of the trees are not in bearing till the 8th year. On 

 inferior soils it takes 10, 15 and even 20 years for the trees to boar any- 

 thing appreciable. Tlio "goiya" who plants his few dozen trees, and 

 docs riot count the value of his labour, can afford to wait, 1ml no! the 

 capitalist, who invests his money in the hope of quick returns. Under 

 the most favourable conditions the cost of bringing an estate into bear- 

 ing is considerable; what then must it be when expenditure and com- 

 pound interest go on accumulating for 15 years. The cost of producing 

 the estate is then far more than it can ever fetch in the market. 



EXTRACTS FROM A PAPK.lt BY Mr. A. K. BKVKN 

 OF FRANK LANDS, YKYANCJODA. 



Selection of Land.— Coconuts are supposed to grow anywhere and 

 everywhere, bu: this is a mistaken idea. The object of most capitalists is 

 to get as quick returns as possible from land at a minimum of expendi- 

 ture. But the palm is not a product suited for acquiring rapid for- 

 tunes : those who can afford to wait will lie rewarded for their patience. 

 For the successful growth of coconuts an average temperature of 80 deg. 

 is required; and an average and even distribution of 70 to 10?) inches 

 of annual rainfall is essential where the soi. is heavy, in the Chi law and 

 I'uttalam districts, a free soil and the presence of water near the sur- 

 face enable the palm to thrive with a much scantier rainfall. In some 

 of the higher districts, with an abundant rainfall, coconuts grow; but 

 a low temperature and excessive moisture hinder the production of 

 fruits. Next to rainfall and temperature attention must be directed 

 to the nature of the soil. The best, of course, is to be found in alluvial 

 flats and alon; the banks of the rivers, where the land is annually 

 flooded for a few days. But land under these conditions is not plenti- 

 ful. The next best soil is a sandy loam. There are many others on 

 which the paira thrives : and the richer and deeper the soil the less 

 will be the subsequent expenditure in maintaining its fertility. The 

 only two soils on which the palm, unless heavy expenditure is to be 

 faced, refuses to grow profitably are hard gravel and stiff clay. The 

 latter is the worst to deal with, and one I would avoid altogether. 

 Trees on the former, however, to my knowledge, have responded to 

 cultivation and can and will yield profitable relurns, 



