450 On the Cocoa-nut of the Seychelles Islands. 



manufacture. The shell is about equal in hardness to that of 

 the ordinary cocoa-nut, and equally susceptible of a fine polish. 

 It is from -[%th to -j^ths of an inch in thickness. 



The foregoing simple account of the Lodoicea Seychellarum 

 proves it to be a most interesting plant in a scientific point of 

 view, and a very valuable one in an economical one. It is there- 

 fore well worthy of the attention of the Government, as well as 

 of private individuals, to use means, not only to prevent its 

 extinction, but to favour its propagation. 



At a recent meeting of the Linnsean Society (Nov. 3) letters were 

 read from Sir H. Barkly, K.C.B., Governor of the Mauritius, and 

 from Swinburne Ward, Esq., Civil Commissioner, in reply to the 

 memorial of the Linnean Society relative to the wanton destruction 

 of the Coco-de-Mer {Lodoicea Seychellarum). The Commissioner 

 had reported to his Excellency that, although in many parts where 

 the palm abounded it has been destroyed by accidental conflagration 

 and by ruthlessly cutting it down to make room for Mandioc culti- 

 vation, yet that on the southern point of the island of Praslin he 

 had found a valley surrounded by hills on the property of Mr. Camp- 

 bell, the sides and crests of which were covered with the Lodoicea, 

 several hundred in number, and in all stages of growth, from the 

 sharp sword-shaped spathe just shooting from the ground to trees of 

 120 feet high. He ascertained that though no nuts were planted, 

 some were allowed to remain and take root where they fell. The 

 leaves of the male plants are cut for the sake of the material they 

 afford, and which is used for making hats and baskets ; but those of 

 the male only, which preponderates over the female, are so cut. 

 Cutting the leaves prevents the blossoming of the trees ; but inacces- 

 sible specimens, which flower undisturbed, are quite sufficient to fe- 

 cundate all the female plants in the district. Tn Curieuse compara- 

 tively few trees were found, and these smaller than those of Praslin ; 

 but directions have been given to keep up the supply by planting 

 germinating nuts — in fact, to plant all the germinating nuts that can 

 be found. A Coco-de-Mer with a healthy germ a foot long had been 

 forwarded to Kew. The Governor stated that, as Praslin is almost 

 entirely private property, the Government could only interfere in the 

 way of exhortation and remonstrance, but that in Curieuse, which 

 is still vested in the Crown, and used for a purpose which renders it 

 inaccessible to the public, he trusted there would be no danger, under 

 any circumstances, of the extinction of this interesting species. 



