Planting in Fiji 471 



is very little known in Fiji. I am told it is 

 more delicate than the common kind, also that 

 it has in some places been known to revert to 

 the thorny condition. 



Guinea grass is much recommended by 

 Ceylon planters. It grows well in Fiji. 



Paspalum was also introduced to Fiji some 

 years ago ; but, in the opinion of planters with 

 the longest experience of it, it is decidedly 

 injurious to the coco-nut trees and should under 

 no circumstances be planted amongst them. I 

 had it growing in a six-acre paddock for about 

 four years, after which time I left the plantation, 

 and up to the end of that time I could not 

 detect any bad effect on the coco-nut trees. 

 What may have happened later I cannot say. 

 The description of the soil must be taken into 

 consideration when choosing what to grow for 

 your cattle. 



As far as I can learn from different publica- 

 tions, the process in most countries for gather- 

 ing the nuts and making copra, is to let the 

 labourers climb the trees, throw down the 

 ripe or nearly ripe nuts, gather and transport 

 them to a shed near the homestead, unhusk 

 the nuts, split them, cut out the copra and, 

 in most estates of any size, extract the oil from 

 it. I do not think this course of proceedings is 

 pursued in any part of Fiji. 



Here we let the nuts fall to the ground when 

 they are ripe enough, collect them in heaps, 

 split them and cut out the copra, carry it to and 



