Chapter IX 

 The Question of Fertilisation 



THE importance of properly fertilising and 

 cultivating the soil from which all vegetable 

 wealth is produced is strikingly demon- 

 strated by Mr. 0. W. Barrett, Superintendent of 

 Experimental Agricultural Stations in the Philip- 

 pine Islands, who, in an official communication, 

 recently pointed out that only a small percentage 

 of the cultivators of vegetable products know the 

 prime functions and qualities of root plants. He 

 estimates the total annual value of the marketable 

 products of cultivated plants at 5,000,000,000, 

 and states that there is an unnecessary and un- 

 conscionable loss of about 15 per cent, of the world's 

 normal production, the wastage equalling some 

 800,000,000 in value. These figures which, of 

 course, include the coconut give one furiously to 

 think. Certainly a due appreciation of their 

 significance is calculated to stimulate the planter 

 in his effort to secure the maximum output of 



