128 Coco-nuts The Consols of the East 



Mr. Barrett specially recommends the cacahuate 

 on account of its being a shrub or small tree 

 that may readily be grown from cuttings stuck 

 in the ground. It can be cut back whenever 

 its height exceeds i J to 2 metres, the loppings 

 helping to increase the humus layer on the 

 ground. A drawback is the shedding of the 

 leaves in the dry season that is, just when the 

 protection is most needed. 



Some of the young plantations have catch- 

 crops, such as sweet potatoes, arrowroot, 

 tapioca, taro, yams, and also maize, bananas, 

 hill-paddy or rice, beans, and peanuts, whilst 

 cotton, chillies, citronella and lemon grass, 

 patchouli and castor beans are also to be met 

 with. But these crops can only be carried on 

 for a restricted number of years, on account of 

 the palms covering the ground when planted 

 as close as 10 ft. by 10 ft. Interplanted cacao 

 and rubber have also been tried, but with 

 doubtful success, and such a plan is not to be 

 recommended, although the two crops could be 

 grown on the same estate in belts in order to 

 restrict disease, and distribute the financial risks 

 of the owner, if the soil and climatic conditions 

 are suitable. 1 



Interplanting has, however, generally given 

 way to cattle in the end, and although doing 

 so requires a good deal of capital to buy the 



1 See " Notes on Soil and Plant Sanitation on Cacao 

 and Rubber Estates," by H. Hamel Smith, Tropical Life 

 Publishing Department, London, price us. post free. 



