Coco-nuts in the Solomon Islands 493 



are planted 15 X 15, but it needed little more 

 than a glance to satisfy me that the country is 

 not suitable for rubber cultivation. Trees 20 

 and 24 in. in circumference, on being cut with 

 the knife yielded scarcely any latex, and then 

 of a very watery description. In some instances, 

 where trees have struck an extra rich patch of 

 soil, they gave better results. The manager 

 asked me for my opinion, and I told him what 

 I thought of the trees, which he said exactly 

 bore out the one he had formed some consider- 

 able time ago. After the way in which our 

 trees are looked after in Samoa you would 

 doubtless be surprised to see the number of 

 the stems that have been left. In one instance 

 I counted up to six. 



" Our next call in this group was at West 

 Bay Estate, on the other side of the peninsula, 

 a property of 620 acres pfanted, which is also 

 a very fine property. The steamer then came 

 to Rendova Island, 650 acres planted, the 

 returns from which are already proving more 

 than highly satisfactory. 



" Gizo Island, the old Government port 

 of entrance and departure, followed. Messrs. 

 Burns Philp have a station and plantation here, 

 and there are also many small plantations in 

 the vicinity. This is about the prettiest 

 place in the Islands, as it is dotted all round 

 with numerous small islands, many of which 

 have been entirely cleared and planted with 

 nuts, now growing in good shape. 



