Chapter IV 

 The Coconut Belt 



IN the last chapter various coconut pro- 

 ducing countries were enumerated. It is now 

 proposed to deal in detail with these and others, 

 setting forth their individual and comparative 

 merits. Only in this way is it possible to convey 

 an adequate idea of the many grades and descrip- 

 tions of the nut, all varying in quality, colour, 

 fibrous texture, period of ripening, productivity, 

 and commercial value. 



MALABAR 



The finest and most productive, as we have 

 said, come from Malabar, where the soil, in con- 

 junction with the climatic and other conditions, 

 combine to favour the production of a generous, 

 white-meated nut. The four points essential to 

 the satisfactory growth of the coconut are : Sea 

 air, sandy soil containing plenty of decayed vege- 

 table matter (humus), abundance of fresh water, 



