412 Coco-nuts The Consols of the East 



cost per 100 or 1,000 acres compares with 

 present rates. In Portuguese East Africa 

 " chipping," we are told, costs 5<1 per day's 

 task (half an acre), or icd. per acre. This is 

 done three times a year, so costs 2s. 6d. an 

 acre, plus the same amount for other expendi- 

 ture, making 55. an acre per year for work 

 other than exceptional expenditure. Let us, 

 therefore, work out the cost of a coco-nut 

 estate of 3,000 acres based on the Portuguese 

 Africa basis ; and having done this, we hope 

 others still on the spot, and especially those in 

 Malaya, Mexico, Malabar, Ceylon, &c., will 

 criticize our figures and compare them with 

 their own. A coco-nut estate, all bearing- of 



O * 



3,000 acres would need the following labour 

 and expenditure in Portuguese Africa : 



Per annum. 



1 white manager's (or owner's) time ... ^"800 



2 under-managers at ^250 and ^200 450 

 20 drivers or overseers (equals one to 



150 acres) at 5 a month or 60 a 



year ... ... ... ... ... 1,200 



200 labourers (i to 15 acres) with 

 women and children. If there is 

 not one woman and two or three 

 children to each man then 250 

 labourers (or i to 12 acres) at 55. 

 an acre ... ... ... ... 750 



1 white book-keeper ... ... ... 250 



2 clerks (native) at 100 year ... 200 

 Total for upkeep, for labour only, 



exclusive of manure, machinery, 



implements, &c., equal to about 



i 43. 4d. an acre 3,650 



