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tree will look quite healthy, new shoots will spring out, and coconuts 

 appear as on any other tree, but the nuts will never ripen — as soon as 

 the flesh begins to form in it the nut will drop off. 



Until the beetle has been got out of the tree, the planter need 

 not look for any return for all his work and outlay of money; for the 

 creature will continue to its way upwards towards the new shoots, and 

 all the nuts will be affected the same as the first. This beetle, how- 

 ever, can be extracted by an easy process. 



Procure a wire about 3 feet in length, with a handle at one end 

 and the other end twisted corkscrew fashion. Now, look under the 

 leaves and you will notice that the cloth around the tree appears as if it 

 had been chewed by a rat; pull it away and the beetle's hole will be 

 visible; then push the wire up as far as it will go, twist it round, and 

 in nine instances out of ten you will succeed in extracting the beetle. 

 Dust the leaves near the trunk with Paris green, also putting Paris 

 green in the hole. This will destroy any eggs the beetle may have left 

 behind. A boy can be taught this method, and in a very little time 

 he will become quite an expert. It is well, how r ever, to give him a tin 

 and to make him bring the captured beetles to you. It will be a 

 matter of surprise what a large number he will find on a plantation 

 where the logs have been left to rot on the ground between the trees. 



Another small beetle which is very plentiful attains a length of 2 

 inch, but is very thin. It has a light-brown head and a dark body. 

 This insect enters very young trees and feeds on the leaf that is just 

 forming. Trees that are infested with this pest are easily distinguish- 

 able, for dry spots appear on the leaves. The presence of the beetle 

 does not kill the tree, but retards its growth considerably. Wood ashes 

 or Paris green is an effective remedy ; open out the new leaf very 

 carefully and dust in the same manner as for the "Rhinoceros" beetle. 



The grub is another source of annoyance to the coconut-planter. 

 He enters the tree from the roots and works his way upwards. His 

 presence can be detected by the grating sound which he makes. When 

 the sound has been located a hole should be cut in the tree and the 

 grub extracted. Fortunately, this pest is seldom met with, and visita- 

 tions are rare from it in Papua. 



If the plantation be near the sea-front, all intervening timber 

 should be cut away right down to the water's edge, as the coconuts 

 require plenty of air, and the salt sea breeze is very beneficial too them. 

 Seaweed, too, makes an execelient manure, and helps the young nut 

 considerably. It may be remarked here that the first two flowers should 

 be cut off, as this strengthens the young tree. 



Estimate of Expenses and Returns. 



For the further guidance of intending investors, a table is append - 

 ed which gives approximately Mr. Schroder's idea of the expenses 

 incurred in running two plantations of 1,000 acres, and of the profits to 

 be derived therefrom. 



This estimate, our correspondent mentions, is based upon a very 

 low price for the product— viz., £10 per ton. Copra he puts down at 

 £16 per ton in Sydney; but £10 he considers a bed-rock figure, below 

 which the market is very unlikely to go for many years. 



