14 THE SAMOAN COCOANUT 



It was the cocoanut and cotton— chiefly the former — which 

 induced a large purchase of lands by a German firm and the 

 planting of some extensive plantations. Twenty to thirty years 

 ago, when the oil of the cocoanut began to be more largely em- 

 ployed in the manufacture of soaps, copra commanded in Europe, 

 where it found its only, and still finds its principal, market, very 

 remunerative prices, which in these times of decreased values in 

 everything are looked back to as phenomenal. These high prices 

 stimulated the planting of these thousands of acres of tossing 

 palms which reach on before the eye in unmatched beauty. But 

 the same stimulus which induced this manifestation of enter- 

 prise was felt on every tropic seashore. Millions of trees were 

 planted on the measureless shores of tropic Africa, America, and 

 Asia. ' All the shores of India, of the contiguous countries, of 

 the unnumbered islands that form the archipelagoes of the vast 

 western Pacific, were transformed into stately groves in the keen 

 search for large profits. 



These groves are but a few years past their early maturity. 

 Every year, with favorable season, the}^ yield an increasing crop. 

 The usual reaction has followed. The same result in these latter 

 times of increased output in everything has been reached, and 

 overproduction is steadily bearing prices downward. In addition 

 came the introduction of cotton-seed as an oil-producer. This 

 tells upon Samoa in more than a direct way. No plantations 

 are being laid out. What has been said before in regard to other 

 productions and the great distances of the markets on either side 

 is applicable to the situation of Samoa with reference to its single 

 staple in redoubled force. Distance, to repeat, is synonymous 

 with freight rates. Other copra-making countries are situated 

 nearer to the markets. A lower freight means a lower cost to the 

 purchaser. Again, a small and semi-civilized population, indulg- 

 ing few artificial needs, offers a small market for imported goods ; 

 consequently ships to larger countries can carry a cargo out, to 

 return with a cargo of copra. Vessels cannot, save in exceptional, 

 rare cases, find a charter to Samoa. As a result, the Samoan 

 shipper of copra must pay the high rate of steamers regularly 

 calling or pay such a price for transportation as will justify a 

 sailing vessel to come, perhaps partially in ballast, to carry away 

 a cargo of copra. 



In this respect the German firm enjoys an advantage, as it 

 does in many other things, for, doing for the country a rather 

 large business and supplying the German men-of-war with coal, 



