30 



it finds a soft spot; but, for these species which attack the axils of the 

 leaves, I have great faith in the efficacy of the "sand cure/' and no nut 

 picker should go aloft unprovided with a small bamboo tube of dry, sifted 

 sand, to protect the bases of recently expanded leaves. 



In Selangor cocoanut trees now come under the government inspection, 

 and planters and owners, under penalties, are compelled to destroy these 

 pests. Mr. L. C. Brown, of Kuala Lampur, in that State, who writes 

 intelligently on this subject, 1 lays great stress on the value of clean cul- 

 tivation in subduing beetles, and repeats a cultural axiom that never 

 grows old and that will, consequently, bear reiteration here that it is 

 rarely anything but the neglected plantation that suffers, and that the 

 maintenance at all times of a healthy, vigorous growth is in itself almost 

 a guaranty of immunity from attacks of these pernicious insects. 



While we, unfortunately, know that this is not in all cases an assured 

 protection against diseases or insect enemies, it certainly minimizes the 

 danger and, in itself, is a justification of the high-pressure cultural treat- 

 ment advocated throughout the preceding pages. 



RENOVATION OP OLD GROVES. 



Material improvement of old plantations may sometimes be effected 

 and, unless the trees are known +o be upward of fifty years old, generally 

 repays the labor. Marked increase in crop has followed a heavy thinning 

 out of trees upon the Government cocoanut farm at San Kamon, Minda- 

 nao. The improvement that a freer circulation of air and abundant sun- 

 light have effected is very marked. Where it can be done, plowing is 

 also sometimes feasible and should be followed by immediate crop im- 

 provement. The average native plow is not so well adapted for working 

 over an old or neglected grove as it is for original soil preparation. It 

 acts more as a subsoiler and will tear and lacerate more roots than is 

 desirable. A single carabao, or one-horse American garden plow, is the 

 better implement for this work. Extensive bat guano deposits are found 

 in Mindoro, Guimaras, and Luzon. Some of them show richness in nitro- 

 gen and, when accessible at a moderate cost, would be useful in the reno- 

 vation of old groves, where the shade would be adverse to the rearing of 

 good crops of nitrogen gatherers. 



CONCLUSION. 



1. There are large areas throughout the littoral valleys of the Archi- 

 pelago, as yet unexploited, which, in the essentials of soil, climate, irriga- 

 tion facilities, and general environment are suitable for cocoanut growing. 



2. The present conditions present especially flattering attractions to 

 cocoanut growers capable of undertaking the cultivation upon a scale of 

 some magnitude. By cooperation, small estates could combine in the 



1 Ag. Bull. Fed. Malay States, February, 1903. 



