THE COCONUT 



125 



before the pistillate flowers are mature. The pollen is 

 carried by insects. It takes nine months or more for 

 the fruit to ripen. 



Describe fully the fruit of the 

 coconut. 



Find the average weight of five 

 coconuts. 



What is the average weight of 

 the husks? 



What is the average weight of 

 the fresh meat ? 



What part of this weight is left 

 when the meat is air-dried ? 



FIG. 89. Flowers and fruit of the coconut tree 



PRODUCTION 



The product of the 

 coconut is marketed in so many forms that it cannot be 

 measured in any one way. The comparative product 

 can be judged, though, by the acreage. The number of 

 hektars of coconuts in some lands in 1896 was : 



Ceylon 



India . 



Java and Sumatra 



Polynesia . 



> 



South America . 

 Central America 



2 7 1 ,000 

 146,000 

 92,000 

 1 04,000 

 208,000 

 104,000 



According to the Census of 1903, the number of hek- 

 tars of coconut plantations in the Philippines in 1902 

 was 148,245. 



