i8 COCONUT CULTIVATION 



and provided the land has been well turned 

 previous to being planted, drained and limed, 

 to destroy the deleterious acids which have been 

 formed owing to stagnant water lying on or 

 close to the surface for a long period, the trees 

 thrive very well indeed. 



Land under lalang grass is to be avoided, 

 more especially such large abandoned tracts 

 as have been previously planted up with 

 tapioca or gambier. Also to be avoided are 

 peat (unless thoroughly drained and limed), 

 inert and heavy retentive soils, and hill land 

 with an inclination greater than one in fifteen. 



On the question of soil the Director of Agri- 

 culture to the Federated Malay States, in his 

 1911 official report, writes as follows : 



" One point is clear and that is that conditions 

 in Malaya are quite different from those obtain- 

 ing in other countries for example, the best 

 plantations here are those on heavy clay land, 

 while the usual idea is that coconuts thrive 

 best in light soils. The majority of plantations 

 here are on the flat low-lying lands near the 

 coast." 



Soils in order of merit are placed thus : 



1. Alluvial flats near streams. 



2. Deep brown gravelly loam. 



3. Deep loamy sand. 



Examination of Soils. Weigh out a quarter 

 of a pound of the earth after it has been well 

 dried, boil it for a short time in a pint of water 



