VII THE COCOA-NUT 171 



The soap is dissolved in the water, which should be boiling, 

 and the solution mixed with the kerosene. The mixture 

 should then be churned up with a large " swizzle " stick, 

 until it forms a cream. Before using, one part of the emul- 

 sion is diluted with nine parts of cold water. 



A beetle which destroys the young plants before they come The beetle 

 into bearing, is found in some parts of Jamaica and else- 

 where. The larva of this beetle feeds on the terminal bud 

 of the palm, and thus kills the plant. Where possible this 

 grub must be dug out and destroyed, and it has been recom- 

 mended that slaked lime or salt should be freely applied to 

 the bud of the tree, as they have proved of advantage in 

 many instances. 



The crops are often much lessened by the attacks of rats Rats, 

 which easily climb the trees and destroy immense numbers 

 of the young nuts. The depredations of the rats may be 

 easily prevented by covering the trunks of the trees to an 

 extent of twelve inches with sheets of tin or galvanised iron, How to pre- 

 for the rats are unable to climb over the smooth metal. Of ravages. 

 course the trees must be freed from rats before the metal 

 sheets are nailed on, and to do this the nests should be 

 destroyed and poison freely placed amongst the bases of the 

 leaves. 



CROPS. The yield of nuts depends on soil, climate and 

 cultivation, and, as may be imagined, the crops of different 

 trees vary widely. In Ceylon it is said that the general 

 average return of cocoa-nut estates is not over thirty nuts per 

 tree ; but individual trees have been known to give over 300 Returns, 

 nuts every year for a period of ten years. This enormous 

 yield, however, is most exceptional ; but, with a good climate, 

 a fair average soil, and judicious cultivation, the return ought 

 to be at least fifty nuts a tree, and at twenty-five feet distance, 

 this would give a yield of 3,500 nuts per acre. By the appli- 

 cation of suitable manure the returns may be increased to 

 eighty nuts a tree or over 5,000 per acre, but such a yield 



