COCO-NUTS. 253 



ably in Trinidad, and is cultivated to advantage in several dis- 

 tricts, either for sale in the nut, or for the manufacture of oil. 

 In a green state, the nut affords a pleasant cooling beverage, and 

 is sold at the rate of five cents for three nuts ; and at the rate of 

 one dollar per hundred in the dry state. The price of the oil 

 ranges between $1 to $1 50 c. per gallon. The quantity of 

 oil manufactured in the island had greatly diminished lately, 

 in consequence of large importations from the United Kingdom ; 

 but the price being unremunerative, the importation has decreased, 

 or even ceased, to a great extent, and there is now a tendency to 

 a rise in the price. 



The coco-palm grows best along the sea-shore, in the blown 

 sand, especially where it is mixed with vegetable debris; salt and 

 a saline atmosphere are necessary for its healthy growth and full 

 development. The cultivation of the coco-palm has been in pro- 

 gress lately, and new walks have been formed at Irois and 

 Guapo, at Oropuche and elsewhere. The whole of the eastern 

 coast, Guayaguayare and Jicaeos are lined with groves of coco- 

 palms. The plantation now existing between the mouths of the 

 Lebranche and the Ortoire, known as the cocal, was primarily 

 formed accidentally by nuts being washed on shore from the 

 wreck of some vessel. The finest specimens, however, are to be 

 found along the Mayaro beach, some of the trees being seen to 

 flower at the early age of three years, which is very unusual 

 indeed, this palm beginning to bear fruit generally at five or six 

 years. The period of full bearing is at eight years and upwards, 

 when it brings forth a bunch of flowers every month, each bunch 

 having nine nuts on an average, some as many as twenty. Every 

 tree is calculated to yield at least one dollar net every year from 

 the sale of the nuts. Coco-palms are planted at twenty-four feet 

 apart, and require very little or no care, except when they are 

 quite young. When arrived at maturity a cocal, or coco-nut 

 grove, forms an' excellent pasture-ground for sheep, cattle, or 

 other grazing animals ; poultry, pigs, &c, also fatten very readily 

 on the coco-nut meal after the oil has been expressed. The almond, 

 or pulp, contains, according to Brande, 25 per cent, of oil, and 

 the shell 26 per cent, of the pulp. It is calculated here that 

 thirty-three nuts give one gallon of oil. The plan generally 

 adopted here is the following : — Any person undertaking to 

 manufacture oil, gives a gallon for sixty nuts. 



