THE SCIENCE OF CATCHCROPS 83 



It occasionally happens that directors of coco- 

 nut companies in London think they can solve the 

 complicated problem of catchcrops better than 

 their managers, ignoring the fact that such attempts 

 are decidedly dangerous. Success depends almost 

 entirely upon individual and local conditions, 

 which manifestly can be better gauged by the man 

 on the spot than by directors thousands of miles 

 away. The latter seldom increase the company's 

 revenue by their zeal in this respect. When the 

 Board is composed of practical men all such ques- 

 tions are left entirely in the hands of their managers, 

 who have the necessary experience, and are equally 

 anxious to score a success. 



Altogether, catchcrops may be said to play an 

 important part in coconut enterprise, for they can 

 not only provide, under favourable conditions, a 

 fair revenue while the principal crop is unproduc- 

 tive, but they are of considerable assistance in the 

 protection and development of the estate. 



