PREFACE 



LIKE others interested in tropical agriculture, 

 the Author, since his arrival in England, has 

 had many inquiries for coconut propositions, 

 either in the shape of plantations, nuts, or 

 copra, and for information on present and future 

 outputs. He was also pleased to receive a 

 request from the editor of the Financial News 

 (Empire Section), to write something on the 

 subject, which is reproduced here. 



The first article adopted a precautionary tone, 

 and the second advocated in addition to planting 

 from the beginning an agricultural bank, for 

 which in Malaya there is a great field. 



Were a capitalist, interested in copra, asked to 

 put up money for the planting of the coconut, 

 he would at once scout the idea. If this attitude 

 be commonly adopted, and the abnormal present- 

 day requirements continue, what is to happen to 

 the industry when the manufacturer is restricted 

 to present cultivated areas ? 



For example, a material like copra costs from 

 8 to 9 per ton to produce ; it is selling for 

 30, and consequently derived products, namely, 

 margarine, soap, candles, confectionery, and fats 



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