46 THE COCONUT BELT 



easily obtainable on the most liberal terms, and 

 labour is plentiful and cheap." 



WEST INDIES 



During the past fifteen years there has been a 

 considerable development in the West Indian 

 coconut industry, and the Government has made 

 serious efforts to promote further activity by 

 providing authentic and useful information for 

 planters and others regarding the cult of the 

 coconut notably, a very practical and complete 

 booklet, Coconut Cultivation, from which we have 

 ventured to make certain extracts. 



For many years no attempt was made to cultivate 

 the coconut on any large scale in the islands of the 

 Lesser Antilles, with the exception of Trinidad. 

 Yet there are many situations in which the coconut 

 can be grown to advantage such are the open, 

 low-lying coastal lands, having a light, porous soil 

 and a moderate rainfall. So far most of this 

 territory has been neglected, no attempt having 

 been made to render them productive. Yet with 

 the expenditure of a moderate amount of capital 

 and labour they might be converted into successful 

 and highly remunerative coconut plantations. The 

 palm is found on all the islands, but in the majority 

 of cases, until quite recently, no estates had been 

 permanently established for its cultivation, nor 

 had its products been utilised for any but purely 

 local purposes. 



