Ii8 COCONUT PLANTER'S MANUAL. 



not readily rise in them from below. In such cases disturbance of 

 the surface sod is not required to break the eapillam connection with 

 the subsoil, because that connection is already largely broken by the 

 coarseness ^ the particles, and there is a danger that any stirring of the 

 surface dries it out more completely and admits the sun's rays and the 

 drying action of wind to the lower layers also where tho moisture is most 

 needed. 



But, just as soon as the surface shews signs of becoming hard and 

 compact then cultivation is needed and the cultivator should be run 

 over the ground whenever these signs appear. It should be set to work 

 to a depth of not more than 3 inches and need not be driven across the 

 rows each time, but up and down the first time and across the second, 

 up and down the third, and so on. In the case of clay soils this may 

 have to be dom four or five times during the diy season, while in sandy 

 soils once or twice may be sufficient. There should b e no difficulty in 

 deciding on the amount of dry weather cultivation which is necessary 

 when it is remembered that we want the water to rise from the depths 

 of the soil to the level of the roots of our coconut Uees and for that 

 purpose the soil at these levels should be fairly compact and fine- 

 grained, but we do not want it to rise above the level of the roots, and 

 for that purpose the surface must be kept loose so that the capillary con- 

 nection is broken. 



If no mechanical cultivators are used, the same system of cultiva- 

 tion must be carried out by hand. The ground must be well mammotied 

 at the beginning of the rains, the manure put out towards the end by 

 broadcasting, and the whole area gone over again with mammoties or 

 digging forks to cover the manure. As often as is necessary to keep 

 the surface loose during the dry weather a very light forking must bo 

 carried out, anti all weeds and grass must be systematically uprooted as 

 soon as they appear. 



Conclusion. 



There is no doubt that surprising results will be got before long 

 from well cultivated aud manured estates. When we see occasional trees 

 in native gardens, which are unwittingly manured by the owner's house- 

 hold refuse ana the dung of his domestic animals, bearing crops of 300 

 or 4U0 nuts we begin to realise that the possibilities before this branch 

 of agriculture aro enormous. There is no reason whj crops of 200 or 

 more nuts pei tree should not be obtained over large areas. It has 

 often been demonstrated that the tree is capable of bearing such crops 

 and it only needs care and the application of up-to-date and common- 

 sense methods of cultivation and manuring to ensure success. 



Remember that grass-grown estates will never give the highest 

 yields, and do not sacrifice your crop tor the sake of third-rate pasture 

 for useless cattle. Clean-weed the whole estate and manure every year. 



