July, 1912.] 



18 



i 



Oils and Fats. 



The cultural operations required by 

 the green crops are also beneficial to the 

 young palms, as they tend to improve 

 the physical properties of the soil and 

 to keep down weed9. The humus result- 

 ing from the decay of the green crops 

 also improves the water-retaining capac- 

 ity of the soil. 



Phosphoric acid is supplied in manures, 

 and also in the form of crushed bones 

 and bone-meal. An excess ot phosphoric 

 acid in the soil is said to induce early 

 flowering in the case of young and vigo- 

 rous coconut palms, and to stimulate the 

 tendency to produce fruit on the part 

 of trees that have already commenced 

 crop-bearing. Potash is contained in 

 wood ashes and in the husks and leaves 

 of the coconut palm. The husks and 

 fibre refuse if not reqnired for other 

 purposes, should therefore always be 

 returned to the soil of the coconut 

 plantation. The dead leaves and flower- 

 spathes which fall to the ground, togeth- 

 er with weeds and other rubbish collec- 

 ted on the estate, should be formed into 

 heaps between the lines and burned ; 

 and the ashes they yield, mixed with 

 cattle manuie, should be forked into the 

 soil near the roots of the trees. Sea- 

 weed also contains a quantity of potash ; 

 and in the case of coast-lands where it 

 is usually abundant it should be collect- 

 ed and applied as manure to the coconut 

 palm- For the supply of potash the 

 artificial manure kainit may also be 

 used. In addition to from 13 to 15 per 

 cent, of potash, present chiefly as sul- 

 phate, kainit contains about 40 per cent, 

 of sodium chloride, which many planters 

 regard as advantageous for coconut 

 palms. Lime is also essential to the 

 coconut palm. In the case of coast-lands 

 both lime and salt are present in the soil 

 in considerable quantities — the former 

 in the shape o± decomposed sea-shells, 

 and the latter introduced during flood- 

 ing by sea-water or by sea-spray. Soils 

 of a peaty nature, which are liable to be 

 " sour," should receive frequent applica- 

 tions of lime, as also should soils that are 

 rich in humus and subject to flooding. 

 Pressings of trow 10 to 12 bushels, of 



lime per acre applied every alternate 

 year have been found to give more 

 satisfactory results than heavier dress- 

 ings applied at longer intervals. 



Selection o./ Seed.— The seed-nuts from 

 which it is proposed to raise trees for a 

 coconut plantation should be carefully 

 selected. The nuts produced by different 

 varieties of trees vary considerably, 

 and on proper selection largely depends 

 the quality of the future produce of the 

 plantation. It takes from seven to ten 

 years for the coconut palm to reach the 

 fruiting stage, after which it remains 

 productive for upwards of eighty years 

 It is thus evident that after the planta- 

 tion becomes established, the introduc- 

 tion of new varieties to replace inferior 

 kinds can only be accomplished by the 

 sacrifice of a considerable amount of 

 time, labour and money. The seed-nuts 

 should be obtained from vigorous trees 

 that produce good crops of large, well- 

 shaped nuts which have thick kernels. 

 The size of the nut should not be the 

 only basis of selection, as frequently, nuts 

 of large size have very thick shells and 

 thin kernels. If growing on tall trees 

 the nuts selected for seed should be 

 lowered to the ground by means of a 

 rope, and not dropped in the ordinary 

 way. It is essential that they should be 

 kept for about a month, stored in heaps 

 in the shade. 



Nurseries, —It is advisable to raise the 

 young coconut palms in a nursery, and 

 to transplant them to their permanent 

 quarters in the plantation. This prac- 

 tice admits of attention to such details 

 as watering, shading, and protection, 

 which would entail much more labour 

 were the nuts planted in situ in the first 

 instance. The site of the nursery should 

 be on level ground near a good water 

 supply, and the soil should be light and 

 sandy. Weeds and growths of all kinds 

 should be removed from the area, and 

 the soil dug to a depth of about 18 in., 

 and made into raised beds so as to 

 afford perfect drainage. If the estate 

 is large it is an advantage to 

 have nurseries at different points, as this 

 considerably lessens the labour involved 



