xvi Coco-nuts The Consols of the East 



profit, since the cost "of lands suitable for coco- 

 nut planting is comparatively low ; that is to 

 say, the prime cost, apart from promoters and 

 boom profits, should be low, and, on the con- 

 servative basis of forty-eight trees to the acre 

 and forty nuts to the tree, 2,000,000 nuts, in 

 round figures, can be looked for from each 

 1,000 acres cultivated. ., 



Meanwhile it is pleasant to see a portion of 

 the surplus wealth of this country being pro- 

 fitably invested overseas, as by such means the 

 basis of our investments is widened and the 

 possibilities of the trade and prosperity of the 

 Empire extended and increased by the addition 

 of other outlets for capital to tea, rubber, sugar, 

 &c. Now it is to be coco-nuts ; next, perhaps, 

 soya beans, ground nuts, &c. ; last, but not 

 least, when the public want a "sure thing" 

 without 300 per cent, dividend, we shall have 

 cacao. Whatever the industry is, the public 

 will respond provided they see a possible profit 

 and do not have to wait too long for dividends. 

 It will be noticed in the following pages that 

 special attention has been paid to the develop- 

 ment of side lines for the purpose of paying a 

 small dividend until the coco-nut palms come 

 into bearing. 



Investing their money in these agricultural 

 undertakings forces the public here to be aware 

 that the Tropics are not only jungles or malaria 

 swamps, and stimulates and expands the de- 

 mand for our machinery and manufactured 



