July, 1912.] 



15 



Oils and Fats, 



next be divided into blocks of known 

 dimensions and roads provided for 

 the transport of manures and produce. 

 There are many advantages in having 

 the estate arranged on a definite 

 plan from the commencemAit, not 

 the least being the simplification in 

 the work of subsequent management. 

 A fence to exclude cattle from the estate 

 should also be provided, as if cattle 

 intrude while the palms are small they 

 cause a considerable amount of damage. 

 The lines should be made from 25 to 30 ft. 

 apart each way ; the former distance 

 allows about seventy-five and the latter 

 forty-eight trees per acre. The distance 

 may be regulated according to the 

 fertility of the soil, but should not in 

 any case be less than 25 ft. The pre- 

 ference amongst modern planters is for 

 a distance of 30 ft. from plant to plant. 

 It is essential that the distance should 

 be such that the leaves of the mature 

 trees should have ample room to develop 

 without intercrossing, and in regard to 

 this it is well to remember that the 

 stems usually incline at an angle ,of 

 about 45° from the vertical. In a perme- 

 able soil the roots of the fully 

 developed palm spread for a distance of 

 from about 18 to 20 ft. or more from the 

 base of the stem : consequently the roots 

 of the tree that are planted too closely 

 soon intercross and compete with each 

 other, and when this happens the yield 

 of nuts becomes small and of inferior 

 quality. The holes for planting should 

 be 3 ft. across, and should be opened out 

 to a depth of from 2 to 3 ft., according 

 to the nature of the subsoil. In heavy 

 soils the planting should be shallow. The 

 top soil taken from the hole should be 

 mixed with a?hes and replaced to within 

 a foot of the original level. Some 

 planters commend the addition of sea- 

 sand to form a light and permeable 

 medium for the roots of the young palm. 



Planting.— The seedling should be 

 lifted carefully from the nursery beds, 

 and any roots that are damaged should 

 be cut back, A small hole should be 

 made in the centre of the large one, and 

 in this the nut, which is still attached to 

 the young plant, should be placed and 



covered for about three parts of its 

 depth. The soil should not be made 

 level at the time of planting, but a basin- 

 shaped depression should be formed 

 round the young plant. As growth pro- 

 gresses this will become filled with fine 

 sandy soil washed in by the rains, or it 

 may subsequently be made level by 

 means of a top-dressing of light,rich soil. 



A modification of the foregoing system 

 of planting is recommended by some 

 planters. This consists of transplanting 

 the seedlings from the seed-beds to a 

 piece of good land that has been well 

 dug and manured. The seedlings are 

 planted from 3 to 6 ft. apart, according 

 to the length of time it is intended they 

 should remain, and are kept well watered 

 and free from weeds and pests. Under 

 a system of good culture they make 

 rapid growth, and when from two and a 

 half to three years old they are lifted 

 and transplanted to their permanent 

 positions. This system admits of a 

 selection of the best seedlings from the 

 seed-bed for transplantingto the nursery, 

 and of a further selection for forming 

 the permanent plantation. It also per- 

 mits of a longer period being devoted to 

 clearing, draining, and otherwise pre- 

 paring the estate, to receive the young 

 palms. It is further claimed for this 

 system that the young palms, being 

 stronger and more vigorous than seed- 

 lings, are better able to take advantage 

 of the virgin soil of the clearing and to 

 outgrow all competing vegetation. On 

 the other hand there is an extra amount 

 of labour and care involved in plant- 

 ing trees of such a size, and. if experi- 

 enced labour is not available, there is 

 liable to be a serious check to growth 

 caused by careless transplanting. 



Maintenance. — After the whole selected 

 area has been planted attention should 

 be devoted to maintaining the growth 

 of the young palms. The seed- 

 lings should be watered during dry 

 weather until their roots have pene- 

 trated to a sufficient depth to enable 

 them to obtaiu a supply of moisture 

 from the subsoil. A slight shading 

 is sometimes beneficial to the young 



