272 THE CHIEF SOUTHERN AGRICULTURAL CROPS 



Cocoanuts (^Cocos). — Cocoanuts are widely planted 

 in most tropical countries. Formerly they were 

 an important crop at many points in the West 

 Indies, but the wide spread in recent years of the 

 disease known as " bud rot " has practically wiped 

 out the industry at many points where it was once 

 most flourishing. At the present time it would be 

 an unsafe investment to plant cocoanuts in any of 

 the islands where the disease is known to occur. 

 The few groves in southern Florida have not as yet 

 been attacked by it. Cocoanuts will grow under a 

 great variety of conditions, but they thrive best near 

 the sea, and they will grow and bear well even where 

 they are occasionally drenched with salt spray. 

 Their cultivation is very simple. The fully ripe 

 nuts are gathered as they fall and are placed close 

 together in nursery beds for germination without 

 removing the thick outer husk. They germinate 

 best when only partially covered witli soil. After 

 two or three leaves have formed the young tree, 

 nut and all, is moved to its permanent location. 

 It is hoed around a little for the first year or two, 

 after which it practically shifts for itself. Nuts 

 will be produced in from six to ten years accord- 

 ing to location and care. The nuts are produced 

 in large clusters at the top of the tree. These 

 are produced in constant succession, several bunches 

 with nuts of different sizes being seen on the tree 

 at the same time, so that the crop is a perpetual 

 one. The nuts fall as they ripen, when they are 

 picked up, the thick, fibrous outer husk is cut 

 away, and they are ready for market. Besides their 



