THE COCONUT BELT 49 



by independent investigators like Mr. Dean Wor- 

 cester, who is of opinion that : 



" After fifteen years of observation in the 

 Philippines I have reached the conclusion that no 

 branch of agriculture there offers such certainty 

 of steady and assured returns from comparatively 

 small investments as does the growing of coconuts, 

 especially in the South Philippines, where they 

 flourish to a degree nowhere excelled and seldom 

 equalled in other countries." 



Extensive areas of unoccupied land suitable for 

 plantations are available, and a number of com- 

 panies have been carrying on operations under 

 the most promising conditions. Labour is fairly 

 cheap ; pests and diseases are not over-troublesome ; 

 the soil and climatic conditions are favourable. 

 About 9,000 is needed to bring an estate of 2,500 

 acres to the producing stage, allowance being made 

 for the revenue derived from subsidiary sources. 

 As to yields, an acre of planted coconuts should 

 produce about 2,000 nuts per year, or 50 nuts per 

 tree. In many districts the average is quite 60 

 per tree. Indeed, as many as 128 nuts have been 

 taken from a single tree in a year. 



Probably few people realise that to-day the 

 Philippines produce a notable proportion of the 

 world's copra supply. At the same time, it must be 

 added that the quality of the copra and oil pro- 

 duced is decidedly inferior to the average standard 



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