166 Dr. Heifer's Fourth Report [No. 98- 



sea-coast, cocoanut plantations are chiefly remunerating if the 

 native population is accustomed to use these nuts as a part of 

 their diet. 



To the European settler they are important, for the sake of 

 manufacturing the oil for exportation to Europe. The coun- 

 try immediately bordering on the sea-shore is that best adapted 

 for cocoanuts, because they require to be somewhat under the 

 influence of salt water to thrive properly, and it is a part of the 

 country otherwise unavailable. The borders of the mangrove 

 jungles can be profitably employed in this way. 



Nipah cultivation, though never as yet carried on by Euro- 

 peans, seems to call for particular attention. The leaves of this 

 palm are used for thatching common houses, when converted 

 into a kind of thatch the price is generally from two to three 

 rupees per thousand. But what merits particular attention, is 

 the making of sugar from Nipah toddy or palm wine. Ex- 

 periments have shown that the quantity of sugar is greater 

 in proportion to that obtained from sugarcane. The chief 

 difficulty arises from the rapid fermentation which the palm 

 wine undergoes. 



Nipah grows only near the sea-shore, in places which are un- 

 der the influence of the tides ; boats therefore can approach 

 within a short distance of the plantation. It would be necessa- 

 ry to have a copper boiler on board of one of the boats, and to 

 boil the just collected juice to prevent the vinous fermentation. 

 In this way a great quantity of sugar could be obtained, which 

 could be disposed of with considerable profit at low prices. 



These are the chief perennial plantations which would be the 

 most profitable to European settlers. 



Annual plantations are less remunerating, but the returns are 

 quick, and the majority would probably begin with them, ex- 

 cept men of capital, who can afford to wait. 



Annual plantations however require in the beginning a greater 

 outlay than perennial. We have shown that the country with 

 few exceptions is an uninterrupted forest. It is not only neces- 

 sary with annuals to clear the forests, but to prepare the 

 ground more carefully, digging out the stumps and roots of 

 trees, and rendering it fit for tillage. 



