60 THE COST OF A COCONUT ESTATE 



have been known to give fruit in their third and 

 fourth years, but on the whole an average of, say, 

 10 nuts per tree in the sixth year, 30 nuts per tree 

 in the seventh, and 50 nuts per tree afterwards, is 

 all that can be expected ; though with good culti- 

 vation the crops are often in excess of this estimate. 

 Inland, the trees do not come on so quickly ; in 

 fact, it is usually not till after the eighth year that 

 the trees come into bearing. An average return of 

 copra, under ordinary circumstances, is 4.30 pikuls 

 per 1,000 nuts, but this percentage is often greatly 

 exceeded where proper attention is given to its 

 manufacture. The average price of coconuts for 

 five years (1905 to 1909) has been a little over 

 3 10s. per 1,000, and that of copra 17s. 8d. per 

 pikul." 



Furnishing a complete contrast to this estimate 

 and showing what the Germans are doing in the 

 coconut industry, which they are exploiting with 

 their characteristic thoroughness, are the figures 

 contained in " Die Kultur der Kokos-Palme" by 

 Lieutenant Zapernack, which deal with an estate 

 comprising some 1,250 acres of land in Micronesia : 





 1,250 acres of land, at 2s. per acre ... ... ... 125 



Survey fees and registration 50 



Boats: One sloop, one rowboat ... ... ... ... 300 



Expenses for keeping boats in order (six years) ... 90 



Carried forward 565 



