106 COCONUT CULTIVATION 



costing 4 per ton to prepare, and selling for at 

 least 9 per ton, the initial cost of the factory 

 equipment being about 3000. 



West Indian nuts are much smaller than 

 those of Malaya or Venezuela, which is largely 

 accounted for by lack of proper cultivation, 

 want of manure, and above all, the absence in 

 earlier days of any care in the selection of seed 

 nuts. It is a generally accepted fact that nuts 

 which fell below the market standard of require- 

 ment were put into the nursery. 



Again, the world- wide drought of 1910-1911 

 has had a marked effect on the cultivation, and 

 has increased considerably the percentage of 

 small nuts. 



According to size, the nuts are of three classes, 

 known as Selects or Standards, Culls, and 

 Rejects. An iron ring, 3J inches in diameter, is 

 the size tests for Selects ; for Culls, 3 inches ; 

 and the smallest, which pass these rings, are the 

 Rejects. At one time the American markets 

 only bought Selects. They are now glad to 

 purchase Culls as well, with but slight difference 

 in price. The Rejects are made into copra on 

 the plantation, and where machinery is available, 

 this is pressed into oil. 



From evidence obtained, it would appear that 

 the average proportion of Selects, Culls, and 

 Rejects is as follows : 



Selects or Standards, 50 per cent. ; Culls, 

 30 per cent. ; Rejects, 20 per cent. 



Given better cultivation, these averages would 



