40 THE COCONUT BELT 



annum. The coconut plantations were distributed 

 as follows : 



Acres. 



Federated Malay States 24,008 



Straits Settlements 21,703 



Johore 684 



Kedah and Kelantan 10,859 



Trengganu 3,743 



Total 60,997 



DUTCH EAST INDIES 



Another region in which coconut cultivation is 

 conducted on an extensive scale is the Dutch East 

 Indies, whose area, including Java, Sumatra, 

 Borneo, Celebes, New Guinea, etc., comprises about 

 1,751,000 square miles with 40,000,000 inhabitants. 

 Of this total area Java represents about 120,000 

 square miles and 30,000,000 inhabitants. The 

 preponderating commercial importance and influ- 

 ence of Java are demonstrated by the fact that 

 the trade of this, one of the world's largest islands, 

 represents about 60 per cent, of the total figures 

 for the Dutch East Indies, Sumatra's proportion 

 being 20 per cent., the remaining 20 per cent, being 

 contributed by the other islands. 



The Moluccas Islands enjoy an excellent reputa- 

 tion for coconut growing, and the copra produced 

 there is of a good grade. The soil is mainly sandy, 

 the rainfall is favourable, and the general position 

 of the islands facilitates the growth of the palm* 



