Care and Upkeep 2 1 1 



among the worst in this respect. Coco-nuts, 

 on the other hand, have really only one critical 

 period in their growth, on a large plantation at 

 any rate, and that is at the time of setting -out 

 the many hundreds of thousands of young 

 plants into the field at the outset of the big 

 rains, when it is imperative to get the work 

 done as quickly and efficiently as possible. 

 During the first three or four years of a coco- 

 nut plantation's existence, there is the incessant 

 weeding to be constantly coped with, requiring 

 a large labour force, and here again, unless the 

 " Goiya ' M system of Ceylon is in vogue, where 

 the villagers undertake to look after the 

 plantation in return for concessions for growing 

 their food crops on the land, outside labour 

 has often to be recruited, and lodged in 

 buildings prepared for this special purpose. 

 We would again emphasize here, although 

 we have already spoken on the subject, that 

 under no circumstances should this housing 

 be done in a careless and slipshod manner. 

 It pays to run up sanitary, clean houses 

 in a wholesome location, with good wells 

 and free from swamp or dense jungle, which 

 will attract and breed mosquitoes to molest 

 the labourers and bring disease to the 

 European on the place. 



1 The " Goiya" system is similar to the "contract " 

 system in Trinidad and other West Indian Islands, as 

 described in the Ceylon section. For those whose 

 capital is limited, these systems offer good opportu- 

 nities for reducing the cost of first laying out estates. 



