Planting in Papua 77 



the villages in Papua. The average weight of 

 dried copra per each hundred nuts was found 

 to be considerably in favour of the local 

 (Papuan) article. On March 31, 1909, the 

 following area was returned as being under 

 plantation cultivation : 



Coco-nuts 1 5*365 acres. 



Rubber 1,702 



Sisal-hemp ... ... 382 ,, 



Coffee 1 80 



Other cultures m 



Total ... 7,740 



The copra exported, however (value ,7,515 

 in 1907-8, ,7,467 in 1906-7, and ^9,315 in 

 1905-6), as well as the nuts consumed locally, 

 come entirely from the native lands, or at least 

 did so until quite recently, there being an 

 ordinance in existence compelling the natives 

 to plant coco-nuts for their own use. An 

 effort has been made to arrive at a rough 

 approximation of the areas owned by the 

 natives, as there are no means of accurately 

 estimating the total. Based on careful cal- 

 culations made by those capable of forming an 

 opinion, it is surmised that the British section 

 of the Island owns some 35,000,000 trees, 

 planted on 350,000 acres at 100 to the acre. 



1 Those believing as we do in mixed estates will find 

 handy particulars in Mr. Staniforth Smith's Handbook 

 of the cost of planting all these products, as well as 

 tobacco. 



