CLIMATE AND SOIL 29 



it needs it, or even can make use of it. It has been 

 observed in Singapore by Mr. Kidley, and 1 have seen 

 the same thing in Mindanao, that trees planted on 

 flats which are subject to inundation by high tide are 

 strikingly precocious. Where I have seen this, however, 

 there was ground water moving seaward through the 

 flats ; and I am not ready to conclude from the especially 

 rapid growth and development of the young trees that 

 this will prove to be a profitable place for bearing 

 groves. 



With regard to the chemical composition of the 

 soil, it would be possible to say a good deal too much. 

 Proper physical composition is of a great deal more 

 importance than the ground's chemical composition, if 

 only the plants are able to secure sufficient water. The 

 water will usually contain enough food to permit the 

 satisfactory development of the trees. Good chemical 

 analysis is often impracticable for a coco-nut planter ; 

 and even if made, can by no means be trusted to 

 show what the trees will be able to take from the 

 soil. On large plantations where the obvious steps 

 to ensure proper production have been taken, or when 

 a man is preparing to invest very large capital in the 

 establishment of a plantation, it is worth while to 

 supplement care as to the soil's proper physical con- 

 dition with some knowledge as to the food which 

 seems likely to be available. It must always be borne 

 in mind, however, that the food in the soil has no 

 value so long as it remains there, and that only what is 

 taken up by the tree itself will do any good. Chemical 

 analysis will almost invariably show the soil of sandy 

 beaches to be remarkably poor, and the same thing 

 may equally well be true of other places where coco-nuts 

 will do well because constantly supplied by moving 

 soil water with fresh supplies of food. On the other 

 hand, stagnant marshes will frequently show up re- 

 markably well by chemical analysis, but still cannot 

 be used for coco-nuts. 



When chemical analysis is used as a guide to the 



