62 THE COST OF A COCONUT ESTATE 



an average 30 nuts per tree ; in the eighth year, 50 ; 

 ninth year, 70 ; tenth year, 80 nuts per tree, and 

 so on, increasing until their 20th year. From this 

 point on to the fortieth year they are at their 

 best, and they continue to bear until they attain 

 100 years of age, many trees yielding from 200 to 

 400 nuts annually. 



The cost of developing 2,000 acres is as 

 follows : 



Rent, 100; felling and draining, 2,500; 

 plants, 500 ; buildings, 500 ; tools, etc., 250 ; 

 weeding, 1,000 ; superintendence, 1,000 ; con- 

 tingencies, 1,000. 



The first year's cost would therefore be 7,850 



Second year : Rent, weeding, superintendence ... 2,600 



Third year : Bent, weeding, superintendence ... 2,600 



Fourth year : Bent, weeding, superintendence ... 2,100 



Fifth year : Bent, weeding, superintendence 2,100 



Sixth year : Bent, weeding, superintendence ... ... 2,100 



Coir fibre plant 1,000 



Copra drying plant 1,000 



Total 21,350 



Accepting these figures, the total capital outlay 

 up to and including the sixth year would work 

 out at just over 10 per acre. 



In the sixth year the returns should pay the 

 upkeep and give a profit as follows : 140,000 

 trees yielding ten nuts per tree =1,400, 000 nuts, 

 which produce : 



