556 Coco-nuts The Consols of the East 



proof) alcohol costs about 5<d. to gd., and with 

 pipe-lines to convey the raw material to an 

 up-to-date distillery, this figure could be 

 reduced by perhaps one-half. 



" To come back to coco-nuts again, it is 

 probable that only about 25 million of the 

 33 or 35 million trees are now in the bearing 

 stage. On account of the advancing prices 

 of copra and the discouraging prices for 

 abacd (Manila hemp), many new groves have 

 sprung up in several districts, especially 

 Laguna, Tayabas, Sorosogon, Albay, and 

 Ambos Camarines. Several American and a 

 few English syndicates are beginning opera- 

 tions on a large scale in Mindanao, Mindoro, 

 and Palawan. The plantations in Mindanao 

 and the Sulu Group will, undoubtedly, be 

 exceedingly profitable if adequate labour can 

 be secured ; these Islands are beyond the 

 typhoon belt, and, generally speaking, the soil 

 is very well adapted to coco-nuts. The plan- 

 tations in Samar and Leyte have suffered con- 

 siderably from typhoons during the last few 

 years. 



"Thus far the Archipelago has been very 

 fortunate in having few serious pests in the 

 coco-nut plantations. Thanks to the earnest 

 efforts of Dr. E. B. Copeland, of the College 

 of Agriculture, an outbreak of ' bud-rot ' was 

 promptly checked a few years ago, and the 

 planters are now well informed as to pre- 

 cautionary measures in connection with this 



