314 Coco-nuts The Consols of the East 



Nitrogen" 29 Ib. 



Phosphoric acid 14 ,, 



Potash 47 ,, 



Before deducing a suitable mixed-manure from 

 these figures we must take certain considera- 

 tions into account. The palms are known to 

 be heavy feeders, but if found under suitable 

 soil conditions, then the roots have a wider 

 ranging power, and can draw to a greater 

 extent on the original or latent supply of plant 

 food in the soil. Then, on a young plantation, 

 it is assumed that suitable methods of cultiva- 

 tion will be adopted, and for the first two or 

 three years catch-crops of marketable value, 

 such as corn and mountain rice, may be grown 

 between the lines. The yields from these 

 catch-crops will usually balance the cost of 

 cultivation, but after the fourth year the leaves 

 of the palms will have spread over the rows 

 sufficiently to create too dense a shade for 

 catch-crops. Cattle manure is rarely found in 

 sufficient quantities for large plantations, and 

 to supply humus, which is useful to conserve 

 the moisture in the soil, a legume crop, such 

 as soya-beans, velvet-beans or cow-peas, can be 

 grown, and this, when lightly ploughed under, 

 supplies the soil with nitrogen, which the 

 bacteria on the roots have the power of build- 

 ing up from the free nitrogen in the atmo- 

 sphere. On a fairly heavy soil a legume crop 

 is of considerable value, since the roots open 

 up and aerate the soil. 



