1 62 Coco-nuts The Consols of the East 



It is, and always must be, a sine qua non that 

 all clearing work be done properly at the start. 

 Neglect in this respect will bring in its train all 

 sorts of trouble later, chief among which are 

 rot and fungus, white ants, and other insect 

 pests. 



The third case, that of virgin forest land, is 

 of course the hardest and most difficult, but 

 such land when once cleared is also gener- 

 ally the best all round, for it has never 

 been impoverished by crops, and retains all 

 its original features of fertility and freshness. 



Some people after the forest is burnt off 

 recommend the getting of a crop of legumes or 

 maize off it for a start in order to make it more 

 tractable and fit for the planting of coco-nut 

 trees. 



When laying out an estate it is the practice 

 in some centres to carry out the clearing opera- 

 tions by contract labour among the villagers 

 in the neighbourhood. This is an excellent 

 and speedy way where all conditions are 

 favourable, especially if the men work on the 

 American "bee" system, i.e., all help the one 

 man you employ, then he and others go else- 

 where and work under another (your task being 

 completed) who has secured a similar "job." 

 This plan has the great advantage that you 

 have to haggle with only one man, who in his 

 turn gets far more out of his fellow- workers 

 than ever you will. 



Beginners can as a rule be guided by local 



