312 COCOA-NUT TREE. 



groves, with great regularity, the distance ob- 

 served between the plants being twelve or eighteen 

 feet. The cocoa-nuts are never planted until they 

 have sprouted, and the young plant even attained 

 the elevation of three feet or more ; the natives, 

 therefore, usually keep the nuts intended for 

 planting about their houses, until they are con- 

 sidered to be of growth sufficient to plant. At 

 the Island of Rotuma, South Pacific Ocean, I 

 have seen them ranged along in great numbers 

 before the huts, the young plants growing luxu- 

 riantly from the nuts, but as yet unplanted. At 

 this island the cocoa-nut tree is planted abun- 

 dantly, and covers the island profusely, from the 

 margin of the beach to the summits of the hills, 

 giving a beautiful appearance to this small 

 but fertile island. In time of sickness the 

 natives often make use of the young cocoa- 

 nut trees as offerings to the supposed offended 

 spirits. 



For the first three or four years, the young 

 j^lants are fenced, to protect them from the de- 

 predations of hogs, (Sec. to whom the young, 

 delicate leaves would form a tempting morsel. 

 In five or six years, (if the tree is planted in a 

 healthy situation,) the tree will have attained an 



missionary journals, was printed thus: — " they preaclied to 

 the natives on tojis of cocoa-nut trees ! !" 



