34 



the opening up of new estates, the extension of existing properties, 

 and the coming into bearing of other young ones, the output is yearly 

 growing larger, and it is a question whether the very considerable in- 

 crease in prices anticipated by many planters will be realised. 



The year has seen considerable activity in the planting up. of 

 coconuts in the F.M.S., and there are still big Companies, we under- 

 stand, on the eve of being brought forward. A number of new Com- 

 panies were formed during the year in Ceylon to develop coconuts in 

 the Straits, and the shares were received with . considerable favour. 

 The suitability of parts of the F.M.S. for coconut planting is now be- 

 3^ond dispute, as coconuts reach the production stage there in the sixth 

 year. In future, the F.M.S. will undoubtedly be a factor in regulating 

 the prices of coconut products. Ceylon brains and money pioneered 

 the rubber industry in the Straits, and are doing the same for the 

 coconut industry, and, we trust, with the same success and material 

 advantage. 



The advantages of manuring are becoming more apparent every 

 year, and last year it was taken up to a greater extent on coconut pro- 

 perties in Ceylon than ever before. There is no plant which responds 

 more readily to manuring than the coconut, and we are told that 

 planters frequently obtain double or even treble the number of nuts as a 

 result of careful treatment of the soil in this way. In reviewing the 

 business in coconut, there must also be considered the fact that the 

 population is growing, and that, with the increased cost of living, the 

 consumption of coconuts by the natives has increased considerably. 

 Copra, as the most important item of produce in the coconuts industry, 

 must be regarded as having had a very profitable year, considering the 

 record prices which were realised. Coconut oil also found a very 

 ready market the world over, and prices showed a steady upward 

 tendency. An important point to be considered while on the subject 

 of coconut oil is the predicted scarcity of cotton, which would neces- 

 sarily bring with it a shortage of cotton-seed and cotton-seed oil. 

 Cocconut oil is in some respects a competitor of cotton-seed oil in the 

 various uses to which it is put, and it is quite within reason, in the 

 event of an increase in the cost of the latter, to anticipate a largely 

 increased demand for the former. The previous year's export of 

 desiccated nuts was largely exceeded last year, from 27,000,000 to 

 28,000,000 lbs. being sent out of the Island, as against an average 

 export for the last ten years of 18,500,000 lbs. The quality of the 

 products was well maintained during the year. 



FUNTUMIA ELASTICA. 



There are two v^^aysof tapping this tree for latex i.e., the excision 

 and the incision systems. 



By the excision method deep cuts as far as the cambium are 

 made, while by the incision system only shallow channels are opened, 

 just deep enough to allow the latex to run down the tree : incisions 

 are then made into these channels by means of a pricker. 



