148 COCONUT PLANTER'S MANUAL. 



and very little expense. The manure is applied in shallow circular trenches 

 3 ft. wide and 3 ft. away from the tree and forked in. The trench is then 

 filled with coconut husks, fallings and available weeds and covered up. 



Catch Water Drains. 

 Experiments carried out in tbe Phillippines have determined that the 

 water lost by transpiration through the leaves of a coconut palm amount 

 to about 20,000 litres per annum. This is equivalent to about 12 inohes of 

 rainfall. As the rainfall in some districts is not much above 50 inches and 

 the greater part of this is lost to the coconut tree by wastages such as 

 surface wash, underground draii age, transp ration from weeds and evapo- 

 ration from tho soil, it is of paramount importance to conserve as much 

 water as possible for the use of the palm. Nowadays much stress is laid 

 on dry-farming to eliminate losses through transpiration from weeds and 

 evaporation, but it is first necessary to fill the reservoir before protecting it 

 from losb. Catch drains are intended to fill the reservoir by intercepting 

 the surface wash before it runs off the land, and making the soil absorb it. 



Surface wash is heaviest on undulating land and hard soils: hence it is 

 on such lands that catch drains are opened. These should be opened at 

 right angles to the slope or flow of water, the earth thrown up being 

 arranged on the upper side to form a continuous ridge. A great deal of 

 designing skill is necessary to make these ridges as level as possible. To 

 prevent water running along the ridge and escaping at the ends, the ridge 

 is bent upwards at its two ends. These drains are generally cut 6 ft. wide 

 and 3 ft. deep, but if stronger ridges are needed their size may be increased. 

 To distribute the water held up by the catch water ridge evenly short 

 arms at right angles to the main ridge are constructed by means of earth 

 from small cioss drains on the upper side just above the ridge. A series of 

 small basins are thus formed and if this is done systematically it is possible 

 to collect all the rain water and make the soil absorb it. 



Copra. 



The preparation of copra of good quality is essential for Ceylon copra to 

 command a high reputation in the world's market. The quality of Ceylon 

 copra to-day is much superior to that of some years ago, and this fast is 

 recognised by the wcrld buyers. This improvement in quality can be 

 attributed to better drying. .Before the war a lar>e quantity was sold 

 under-dried, as "cart copra." When the absence of freight during war-time 

 necessitated storage for a long period, this quality, which spoilt quickly, 

 failed to find buyers and the preparation of it ceaser". To prepare copra 

 of the best quality only the ripest nuts (those falling and about to fall) 

 should be picked and as much sun drying as possible resorted to, by 

 avoiding the rainy months as May-June and Octob: r-Novernber- 



