198 Coco-nuts The Consols of the East 



and pegged out before any planting is started, 

 at least in the locality of where the buildings 

 are to be. Then sites should be allocated for 

 shipping, &c., if the plantation is near the sea 

 or river, or for junctions and crossings, if a 

 light railway is to be built, especially in a large 

 undertaking, because the roads and avenues of 

 supply must lead radially to this central spot, 

 where the administrative and transport build- 

 ings, factories, &c., are to be found, otherwise 

 a miscalculation made in the beginning might 

 lead to inconvenience and extra outlay to 

 rectify matters later on. 



Roads should preferably be constructed in a 

 manner that they will form to a great extent 

 the boundaries between the divisions or 

 "fields" of the plantation, and here and there 

 extra wide roads should be left to restrict fires, 

 pests, &c. Any other necessary divisions can 

 be made either by missing out a row of palms, 

 or by planting rows of trees other than coco- 

 nuts, as with isolation belts, for which purpose 

 the most suitable ones are the Betel or 

 Areca Palm, the Kapok or Silk Cotton tree, 

 and possibly (we would say always when con- 

 venient) the Bamboo. The Areca Palm is 

 also eminently fit to be set around the boun- 

 daries, as it can be planted very close together, 

 less than 10 ft. apart, and its durable if 

 slender trunk lends itself excellently for the 

 fastening of fencing material upon, whilst the 

 revenue from its nuts, which are so freely 



