26 



THE COCO-NUT 



CHAP. 



understanding of these to give a better idea as to what 

 can be expected of any particular soil than can possibly 

 be done in a discussion based on descriptions of the 

 soil itself. 



There are, of course, certain general principles. These 

 depend upon the facts that the coco-nut roots will not 

 grow into water, and that they must always have a 

 reasonable supply of water available for absorption. 

 Exceedingly porous soils from which the water is 

 drained readily are unsuitable because too dry. Still, 

 the most porous soils can be used for the most successful 

 coco -nut cultivation, provided for any reason their 

 porosity does not result in their containing too little 

 water for the use of the tree ; this is the condition we 

 find on the beach. Soils with an impermeable hard- 

 pan near the surface are unsuitable for coco-nut culti- 

 vation because during rainy seasons they become full 

 enough of water to seriously injure the roots. Very 

 stony soils are unsuitable to coco-nut cultivation because 

 in general sterile, and because they are likely to be dry. 

 Still an almost ideal development of coco-nuts is possible 

 on soils of this kind provided they contain water which 

 bears the food necessary for the tree. 



Under the head of suitable soils the first place for 

 coco-nuts, as well as for most other crops, must be given 

 to deep alluvial plains. Such soils are rich in food, 

 easily worked, and even without cultivation usually 

 permit a very perfect development of the root system. 

 The most prolific trees I have ever seen were on such 

 soil on the plantation of the Moro Plantation and 

 Development Company near Zamboanga. One tree in 

 this grove yielded 112 and 106 nuts at two successive 

 cuttings only two months apart. I saw it less than 

 two months later, and another similar crop was ready. 

 The nuts were small, but even so the yield was at a 

 rate of more than 100 kilos of copra a year. 



As a matter of universal observation sandy sea- 

 shores are suitable places for coco-nut cultivation. The 

 reason for this is that they have back of them higher 



