1. Timehri. 



Coconuts. 

 If the colony had adhered to its old-time policy of having all its eggs 

 in one basket its inhabitants would be, under present war conditions, in a 

 very serious position indeed with regard to one of the most important con- 

 stituents of their food supply — I allude to fat. 



In the late seventies and early eighties some impetus had been 

 received towards the cultivation of coconuts in the Mahaicony-Abary dis- 

 trict where there are great areas of relatively light loamy to sandy lands 

 especially well-suited to the growth of coconut palms. The late Honour- 

 able B. Howell Jones' paper in volume 2 of Timehri for 1883 entitled " A 

 Visit to the Oil and Fibre Works at Pin. Fortitude " supplies a striking 

 picture of this coconut industry at that time. The industry, as appears 

 to be the rule with industries here in their earlier stages of inception, 

 later fell into a condition of temporary stagnation so that in 1897 there 

 were, including scattered trees, not more than 3,500 acres under coconuts 

 in the whole colony. The following is practically the only reference of 

 any importance to the cultivation of coconut in this colony which ap- 

 pears in the reports of the West Indian Royal Commission: — 



Cocoa-Nuts. 

 " The cultivation of cocoanuts has existed in British Guiana from an 

 " early period, but it has apparently never attained large dimensions. This 

 " is probably due to the unsuitable character of the stiff clay soils on the 

 " coast, and to the prevalence of disease. In 1847 the number of cocoa- 

 " nuts exported amounted to 466,530. At present, large quantities of 

 " nuts are used locally by the East Indian immigrants. The recent ex- 

 sports are only slightly in excess of those of 1847. Mr. William Smith's 

 "evidence before the Special Commission in 1895 indicated that at 

 " Mahaicony Creek and other localities the conditions were favourable 

 " for cocoanut cultivation, but the nuts were small, and consequently they 

 " fetched low prices. The present condition of the industry deserves to 

 " be carefully investigated. Only specially selected lands should be 

 " planted, and suitable manures applied to ensure large nuts. In America, 

 " husked nuts only are accepted, and thesa are packed in bags of uniform 

 " weight containing not less than 3| inches diameter." 



This statement could not be regarded as encouraging, aud heuce little 

 attention was given towards the extension of the coconut cultivation 

 until the arrival of Sir Alexander Swettenham from the Straits Settle- 

 ments in January, 1902, brought a different aspect to bear on coconut- 

 growing. His experience there had taught him that successful cultiva- 

 tion of the coconut is not confined to light or sandy soils near the sea- 

 shore. He was aware that heavy crops of coconuts, although the nuts 

 may be of relatively small size, are obtained from straius of coconut- 

 palms which have become accustomed to growth on clay-loams or on 

 heavy clay soils. He saw here coconut-palms bearing crops of excep- 

 tionally large numbers of coconuts, and he reasoned that if this is the case 



