COCONUT INDUSTRY IN WEST INDIES 109 



Seed Nuts. Great care is now being taken 

 in the selection of seed nuts. Good bearing 

 trees are given a distinctive mark, sometimes 

 in the form of a painted band in red, for the 

 information of the collectors. Some planters are 

 importing specially selected nuts from Venezuela, 

 which is proving successful. 



Nurseries. These, again, are little different 

 from the usual nursery, except that the seed 

 nuts are put in vertically, instead of at an angle 

 of 45 degs. There are many objections to the 

 upright position, one being the unsteadiness of 

 the plant in wind. 



Another important reason why nuts in the 

 nursery should not be planted vertically, is that 

 at the top or stalk end there is a depression 

 around the " eyes " or germ seats, in which 

 water is likely to settle and rot the germ. In 

 the oblique position it drains off. For germi- 

 nating purposes the nut has always a sufficiency 

 of moisture available from within. 



The period of germination is about four 

 months, and the Western planter favours trans- 

 planting when the leaves are about a foot high. 

 The argument in support of this is that there is 

 less damage from breeze in the nursery, and to 

 roots in the transplanting, and a lower cost of 

 transport. 



Bearing Stage. This, as elsewhere, depends 

 much upon the state of cultivation; under fair 

 conditions the sixth year is the flowering year. 



