Diseases 229 



other disease, and after that, by keeping the 

 palms vigorous and healthy, to enable them 

 to withstand infection in the future, we would 

 suggest that the following treatment be carried 

 out, as it has proved so successful in Ceylon, 

 where it has been tried : 



Each tree should be manured at least once 

 in every two years. If the manuring can be 

 done once in eighteen months the results will 

 be still more favourable. No grass or weeds 

 should be allowed to grow in the manuring 

 circle round the palms, as otherwise the grass 

 will absorb part of the manure instead of the 

 coco-nuts, and it will be impossible to know 

 for certain what proportion has gone to the 

 palms and what to the weeds. 



Every year some basic slag should be spread 

 broadcast throughout the estate, say ij cwt. 

 per acre, or 3^ Ib. per tree if forty-eight 

 trees to the acre ; it should then be ploughed 

 in or dug over and all rubbish and grass 

 buried. These operations should be effected 

 every year, even if basic slag be not used. 

 The more digging that the soil receives the 

 better will be the growth of the palms and 

 the larger the yield of nuts, provided always 

 that there is sufficient water, as the greater 

 the porosity of the soil the more suitable it is 

 for coco-nut cultivation. It is this reason 

 coupled with the fact that they are (or should 

 be), as a rule, practically saturated with water 

 at a distance of only a few feet below the 



