THE COCONUT AND ITS PRODUCTS, WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE 



TO CEYLON 



By David S. Pratt 

 (From the Laboratory of Organic Chemistry, Bureau of Science, 



Manila, P. I.) 



Five plates 



The cultivation of coconuts and the preparation of various 

 commercial products from the palm form one of Ceylon's great 

 industries that has been carefully and scientifically built up. 

 The planters in the Philippine Islands and in the other insular 

 possessions of the United States have much to learn from the 

 results thus obtained, and it is hoped that the following informa- 

 tion may be of value as well as of interest. 



The facts here presented have been obtained through recent 

 personal investigation and from various sources of undoubted 

 authenticity. Much of the information was made available 

 through the efforts of Mr. C. K. Moser, American consul at 

 Colombo, Ceylon, who assisted me in every possible manner. 



COCONUT CULTIVATION IN CEYLON 



For the nursery, heavy round nuts are selected of such a size 

 that from 900 to 1,200 nuts would be needed to produce a candy ^ 

 of finished copra. The ground is carefully cleared of all roots, 

 stones, and rubbish, and the seed nuts are planted in holes 60 cen- 

 timeters deep and a like distance apart in both directions. Some 

 sand or wood ashes are frequently mixed with the soil, or are 

 placed in the pit prepared for the nut, to minimize the ravages 

 of white ants. When the soil is poor, fertilizer in moderate 

 amount is also included. The practice of using salt varies 

 greatly, but does not appear to have any advantage, and may 

 even be injurious to young plants. 



There is a divergence of opinion regarding the best position 

 for seed nuts, some advocating planting with the stalk end 

 upward, others preferring a slanting or horizontal position. The 

 latter method appears to be most popular, and is generally 

 followed. The nursery is watered two or three times a week. 



' One candy equals 254.5 kilograms equals 560 pounds. 



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