178 The Philippine Journal of Science i9i4 



When the young palms become a year old, the most healthy 

 and vigorous are transplanted, great care being taken to prevent 

 injury to the roots. Close planting is prevalent in the southern 

 sections of Ceylon, and one frequently notices young palms 

 trying to grow between rows of old trees, with the inevitable 

 result of tall, slender trees incapable of yielding a satisfactory 

 crop. Such conditions, of course, do not prevail in well-managed 

 estates, where it is customary to plant 160 trees to the hectare 

 (65 to the acre), in holes 75 centimeters by 75 centimeters and 

 1 meter deep. At least 30 centimeters of finely pulverized virgin 

 soil are usually placed at the bottom of this hole. 



Low-lying groves are well drained by ditches running parallel 

 to the rows of palms, and water is not allowed to stand in the 

 holes around individual trees. 



A 3-meter circle is constantly maintained around each tree, 

 and is kept free from grass, weeds, etc., by thorough digging. 

 The palms are manured at least once every two years, or more 

 frequently if the soil is very deficient. Abundant cultivation, 

 wide planting, and careful fertilization will increase the ordinary 

 yield of coconut palms from 50 to 200 per cent and at the same 

 time make the palms more resistant to disease. Various firms 

 make standing offers of free soil analyses and advice regarding 

 the type of artificial fertilizer best suited to the estate in question. 

 The coconut trees in Ceylon require a comparatively large amount 

 of this treatment as there are few soils rich enough to furnish 

 sufficient food material for abundant crops of nuts. Nitroge- 

 nous material is probably the most necessary, with phosphoric 

 acid and lime to assist in assimilation. Excellent fertilizers 

 are prepared in Colombo from ground fish, oil cake, nitrates, 

 phosphates, etc. 



Best Ceylon practice includes plowing the entire estate every 

 two years, at which time the grasses, together with all small 

 growth surrounding the cleared circular spaces, are turned under 

 to enrich the soil. One of the most prominent features of well- 

 kept estates is the evident care taken in removing all fallen dead 

 leaves and rubbish. Nothing is allowed to accumulate that 

 affords breeding places for beetles or diseases*^ All trees which 

 become badly infested with beetles are felled, cut into short 

 lengths, and burned. It has been suggested that such drastic 

 treatment be required by law, although this has not as yet been 

 adopted in Ceylon. The "Coconut Preservation Enactment" of 

 the Federated Malay States, from which the Moro regulations 

 of the Philippine Islands were derived, represents what may be 



