210 



[September, 1912. 



Association seized the opportunity to justify its existence and secured 

 sanction for the railway beyond Negombo, but alas ! only to Chilaw. It 

 is in pressing the claims of the low-country products to the same con- 

 sideration as has been f-hown by Government to up-country products 

 that this Association may yet earn the gratitude of the Ceylonese 

 planting community. 



Selection of Ground. 



Coconuts are supposed to grow anywhere and everywhere, but it is 

 a mistaken idea. The object of most capitalists is to get as quick returns 

 as possible from land at a minimum of expenditure. But the palm is not 

 a product suited for acquiring rapid fortunes : those who can afford to 

 wait will be rewarded for their patience. For the successful growth of 

 coconuts an average temperature of 80° is required ; and an average and 

 even distribution of 70 to 100 inches of annual rainfall is essential where 

 the soil is stiff. In the Chilaw and Puttalam districts, a free soil and the 

 presence of water near the surface enable the palm to thrive with a 

 much scantier rainfall. In some of the higher districts, with an abundant 

 rainfall coconuts grow, but a low temperature and excessive moisture 

 hinder the production of fruits. Next to rainfall and temperature atten- 

 tion must be directed to the nature of the soil. The best, of course, is to 

 be found in alluvial flats and along the banks of the rivers, where the land 

 is periodically flooded for a few days. But land under these conditions 

 is not plentiful. The next best soil is a sandy loam. There are many 

 others on which the palm thrives and the richer and deeper the soil the 

 less will be the subsequent expenditure in maintaining its fertility. The 

 only two soils on which the palm— unless heavy expenditure is to be 

 faced — refuses to grow profitably are hard gravel and stiff clay. The 

 latter is the worst to deal with, and one I would avoid altogether. Trees 

 on the former, however, to my knowledge, have responded to cultivation 

 and can and will yield profitable returns. 



Selection of Seed Nuts. 



The next subject to engage attention should be the selection of seed 

 nuts, It is of paramount importance that the greatest care be taken that 

 only the best nuts be got for seed. Time, trouble and expense should not 

 be grudged, for a great deal of the future of the plantation depends on 

 the trees from which the seed nuts have been chosen. I should choose 

 nuts from trees ranging from 20 to 50 years of age. That is those in their 

 very prime. The tree should present a vigorous growth and have large 

 crowns carrying the bunches of fruit on well-set short stems. It is 

 well to avoid those trees that show a tendency to drop their nuts, 

 however larger or numerous, and those with scanty or drooping 

 fronds. There is a prejudice in favour of a large sized nut, but 

 I prefer those of a medium size, since one has to take a commercial 

 view of the product. Where the nuts are exceptionally large, it follows 

 that there would be fewer on a bunch than where the nuts are of medium 

 size. The difference in numbers when acres are considered will be very 

 considerable, as nuts are sold by the thousand, only very small ones being 

 rejected. In weight, too, if you turn your nuts into copra, there is a 

 great advantage, considering their numbers, in medium over large nuts. 

 I would choose therefore medium-sized nuts globular in shape and with a 

 thin husk and a thick kernel for the nursery. 



The Nursery. 



The method of laying out the nursery is known to most of us. 

 But I would emphasize the need of special precautions to avoid a 



