THE COCO-NUT PALM IN SAMOA 

 AND NEW GUINEA. 



THE following remarks are based on a very 



interesting article published by the Tropen- 



pflanzer of Berlin from a report drawn up by 



Prof. Paul Preuss and translated from the 



German by Mr. Pape. 



In the Samoa group of Islands there are four 

 main cultures : coco-nut, cacao, rubber and 

 "ground vegetables," such as kawa, taro, 

 tapioca, &c., but, of all those enumerated, the 

 coco-nut is by far the most important, and 

 represents the chief property asset of the 

 Islanders. Its culture has already achieved 

 some very remarkable results, and the present 

 area under cultivation with it, leaving out the 

 native plantations, comprises no less than 7,000 

 acres, whilst the number of palms thereon may 

 be computed at about 325,000. Besides these 

 the number owned by the natives cannot be 

 less than 700,000, making at least 1,000,000 

 palms in all. Meanwhile of copra there was 

 exported within the last few years : 



In 1899 ... 7,792 tons. 1903 ... 7.614 tons. 



1900 ... 6,450 1904 ... 7,446 



1901 ... 4,576 ,, 1905 ... 8,603 ,, 



1902 ... 7,9221 tt 



Average, 7,200 tons. 



