350 



The Rajah whose claim for immortality rests, perhaps, rather on 

 his prowess on the field of battle than on his system of upkeeping 

 cultivation, stated that in spite of the most tender solicitude, coco- 

 nuts would not thrive in this country. 



The gentlemen from Ceylon, it is said, told even a worse tale. 

 The coco-nut is not only ungrateful — it is treacherous. It will 

 come into bearing at about ten years of age, promise well, lead its 

 owner into marriage and other reckless extravagance ; and then, 

 at about fifteen years of age, leave off, or almost leave off, bearing 

 nuts. 



I have no doubt that reasons, figures, etc. can and will be given 

 to support this charge, but I think that the Sungei Rabats Orchards 

 will take a good deal of explaining away with any argument less 

 convincing than an axe. These orchards were the first planted in 

 the Kwala Langat district and the Coco-nuts were in bearing for 

 years when the late Sir ANDREW Cl.ARKE paid his historical visit 

 to the late Sultan ABDUL Samad at Jugra in 1874. Some of the 

 Coco-nuts were planted by a man named Udin at the time of his 

 daughter's marriage to Berkat. This is the earliest planting I can 

 trace — though it was not the first. Udin's daughter died last month. 

 Her age is registered at the Jugra Office at 79; but this is probably 

 a fancy figure. At all event she was a very old woman and her 

 grand children are extremely numerous and of very varied ages. 

 I bought the trees which were planted during this lady's girlhood 

 from her son, Lakim bin Berkat, three years ago. 



At that time, the orchards had been totally deserted for nine 

 years and I expect that the condition of the Klanang " holding " 

 which you describe in Agricultural Bulletin No. 6, was high class 

 cultivation as compared to that of any produce. I felled the jungle, 

 dug out three acres of lalang, drained the land and now weed it 

 regularly. I have picked sufficient nuts not only to pay for this 

 work but to recover the cost of the purchase. Some of the trees 

 yield upwards of a hundred nuts per annum and practically, it is 

 only those trees which were planted within a few years of aban- 

 donment that make no return or are likely to make no return in 

 the near future. It is impossible to give an average, because I 

 have never counted the trees. It is difficult, owing to the system 

 of planting. For instance, I find four stems growing out of a com- 

 mon mound, each stem in bearing. Should it be counted as one or 

 four trees ? Perhaps some Malay put them there to eat but fell 

 asleep and forgot about them. 



I have heard somewhere that it is injurious to cut steps up a 

 coco-nut tree. All the trees which are of any considerable age in 

 our orchards have been so treated and some have been hacked 

 about so wantonly that one wonders why they do not break down 

 in the first high wind. 



Yours faithfully, 



CYRIL E. S. BAXENDALE. 



P. S. — I expect to plant another 50 acre field with coco-nuts 

 this month, 



