Laying-out the Plantation 201 



the cost of planting on an experimental basis, 

 if not regularly. 



Another useful tree is the Guava'(but these 

 must not be interplanted), especially if the 

 plantation is at no prohibitive distance from 

 large populated centres. A wealth and variety 

 of useful fruit trees growing up on a coco-nut 

 plantation in the making are always a sound 

 investment, even if they serve no better pur- 

 pose than providing food-stuffs for the staff 

 and coolies on the estate. All trees bearing- 

 odorous blossom are of value, because they 

 attract bees and other honey-makers, which 

 will be of benefit in the fertilization of the 

 coco-nut palms. 



It is always the wisest plan to make the holes 

 wherein the coco-nut trees are destined to grow 

 as large as possible; i.e., as funds and the labour 

 supply allow ; even in light soils they should 

 be made large, so as to allow plenty of room 

 for the filling in of the specially prepared and 

 workecl-up earth in which the first year or two 

 of the life of the root is spent. The size of 

 the holes should never be less than about 4 ft. 

 cube, and if the humus does not reach right 

 down to the bottom of the hole it must be put 

 in a heap on one side and the inferior soil 

 put in first underneath. The humus is then 

 worked up with leaf-mould and well-decom- 

 posed manure and ashes, to serve later on as 

 the filler of the hole. The refilled holes should 

 be allowed to stand for at least one month, in 



