238 jouknal, k.a.s. (ceylon). [Vol. II., Part II. 



events, 1 am inclined to think that a gallon a day is but a 

 reasonable yield to expect from each tree when arrived at 

 a proper size and maturity and accustomed to yield its sap. 

 The quantity of sap yielded by the two young trees in sixteen 

 days from seven pdlaikal was 439J pints, or 54 J gallons, or 

 7J gallons from each pdlai. Add one eighth more pdlai, 

 which was matured but not cut, but might have been made 

 to yield within the time, we have about 185 gallons in a 

 year from each tree. These two trees give, say, 55 gallons in 

 two months ; one tree 27| gallons in the same time, or 165 

 gallons in a year. Add one eighth for a pdlai not cut, we 

 have 185| gallons per tree per annum. Perhaps 200 gallons 

 from a good large tree might not be too much to expect. 

 A greater quantity would probably have been obtained had 

 we gone on cutting the pdlaikal as fast as they were ready, 

 but I wished to stop to prove an assertion I heard, that after 

 tapping a young tree for a short time it would bear nuts 

 more abundantly than one which was not tapped. And I 

 must say that, so far from the operation having tended to 

 exhaust them, as some might imagine, the newly-developed 

 pdlaikal are larger and longer than any previous ones, and 

 promise abundance of fruit, while it is not less probable that 

 they would have yielded more toddy than any other had 

 they been tapped in their regular turn. From the rains 

 having set in, and other circumstances, I am waiting some 

 time before recommencing toddy-drawing operations. 



It is rather difficult to come to a decided conclusion of 

 how much a tree will give in a year. The quantity of toddy 

 must of course be proportioned to the number of pdlaikal that 

 come out on a tree. Ask any native and he will say the 

 trees get one pdlai and one new shoot, or branch, every 

 month, but there would seem to be no fixed rule for this, as 

 more come out on some trees within a given time, and more 

 on one tree than on another. I think two a month, or three 



