April i, t'SSp.l THE TROPICAL 
than we have in Ceylon, and the most of the 
Cochin copra is, I believe, made in their fine 
weather when it can be sun-dried, and very great 
care is taken in dryiDS- the copra and towards 
keeping it free from j,11 impurities, thus pro- 
ducing an article superior to that of Ceylon." 
SALT IN COCONUT CULTIVATION. 
[The following is the contribution by "B."to tbe local 
" Examiner ' alluded to in our article on the manu- 
rial value of salt and its by-products. — Ed.] 
It cannot be to i often repeated that for the successful 
growth of any product, it is essentially necessary that we 
conform as nearly as is possible to the natural condition 
under which it grows. The natural home of the coconut 
palm is the sea-ccast. On tbe sea-coast salt and mois- 
ture are ever present. When we extend the cultivation 
further inland, although we may meet with better 
soil and in many instances situations where moisture 
is ever present at the roots, yet one of the conditions 
under which the palm flourishes is absent — a soil largely 
impregnated with salt. 
Observation shows us that salt can never be present 
in too large quantities in a soil on which coconuts thrive. 
On the seashore, the trees seem none the worse for tLe 
salt-laden waves that break at their very roots. Indeed, 
salt does not seem to be able to hurt even the delicate 
germ in the nut. The spread out of coconut cultivation is 
due primarily to natural agencies. Trees growing on the 
sea-shore dropped their nuts into the sea and these hav.' 
been carried by currents for thousauds of miles and 
thrown upon some coast by the force of the waves, theie 
to strike roots and sow the seed of future topes ; and yet 
though the nuts must have been immersed for long pe- 
riods in salt water, the tender and delicate germ did not 
lose its vitality, but developed into a tree. We who havo 
to do with coconut cultivation know bow delicate the 
germ is, and how liable it is to be destroyed. Tbe fact 
that salt water does not affect its vitality speaks volumes, 
in my opinion, for the absolute necessity of using salt 
in all stages of its growth, so as to approach as nearly 
as possible its growth in a state of nature. Every au- 
thority who has written on coconut cultivation, not 
only in our Island, but in all parts of the world where 
it is cultivated, speaks of the practice of throwing in 
a handful of salt into the hole at the time of plaiit- 
ing. Some speak of it as a superstitious practice. 
This is owing to a want of proper appreciation of its 
value. Why has this very useful and necessary prac- 
tice been given up ? The answer is simple. Every 
succeeding generation deludes itself with the belief 
that it knows more than its predecessor about agricul- 
ture, and thus it comes about that very useful and 
very neoessary practices are gradually given up as 
useless. This is observable in all branches of agricul- 
ture. Our ancestors cultivated small areas at a time, 
and were actuated by the belief that what was 
worth doing was worth doing well. At the present 
day the boast is, not of the quality of the work one 
does, but of its quantity and cheapness. This latter 
word is supposed to be synonymous with low cost. 
Experience shows it is not. Careless and slovenly 
work is perhaps more noticeable in coconut cultiva- 
tion than in any other branch of our Island agricul- 
ture. I feel almost tempted to enumerate all the 
works that are thus slovenly prepared, but I will be 
travelling out of my subject. 
The latest reference I find to the use of fait in 
coconut cultivation is in the Tropical Agriculturist for 
February. In a report on agriculture in Hainan, it is 
said that coconuts do best near salt water. Salt is 
thrown into each hole with a coconut plant. " If 
they do not flourish salt is agaiu put to the roots." 
Why, it may be asked, is this necessary practice 
kept up in Hainan? For the simple reason that the 
Chinese are a non. progressive people I 
It is an axiom in Agricultural Chemistry that, al- 
though a soil may abound in all the miuoral constituents 
of the plant food of a certain tribe on plants, and 
has only one in insufficient quantity, that tribe of plants 
cannot flourish upon that soil. While if the soil is 
wholly devoid of ouo constituent, it refuses to grow 
AGRICULTURIST. 65$ 
or to come to perfection. What observation shows, 
analyses have established — that salt plays a no unim- 
portant part in the composition of every part of the 
coconut tree. From this it will naturally follow, that 
coconuts grown in a soil where salt occurs in insuffici- 
ent quantity cannot flourish, and in soils devoid of 
it will refuse to come to perfection. The latter class 
of soils it is difficult to imagine as occurring in our 
Island, exposed as it is to violent monsoon storms. 
Not so with the former class of soils. 
However well coconut trees may bear in certain in- 
land districts far removed from the influence of salt- 
laden breezes, I do not think their warmest admirers 
can say that they attain perfection there in the face 
of the annual experience of wholesale dropping of 
bunches and branches. This unpleasant experience 
contrasts very strikingly with coconut trees nearer the 
sea and with water always within reach of their roots. 
It must not be forgotten that the dropping of fruit 
and fronds is a very severe strain on a coconut tree. 
Leaves play a very important part in the economy of 
plant life. All the food a plant takes up by the roots 
is elaborated in its leaves, and is from them distri- 
buted for use in its every part. It is through them 
that carbonic acid is taken up by plants. Drooping 
leaves are an indication that the roots are not able to 
supply moisture to them as fast as it is evaporated 
trom their surface. The supply being unequal to the 
demand gives a severe shock to the vital energies of 
the trees. How to balance this inequality should be 
t he aim of the skilful agriculturist. As I said before, 
it is not possible for everyone to apply water to his 
whole plantation; but it is possible for all to apply 
fait. Salt has a value all its own. It is not only a 
m anure, but has the valuable property of attracting mois- 
ture from the air and keeping tbe soil to which it is ap- 
plied quite moist. In works on Agricultural Chemis- 
try we are told that the application of salt to soils 
devoid of it has been known to produce striking re- 
sults. I do not think it needs repetition that salt is an 
essential constituent in the growth of the coconut 
palm. I shall now chiefly confine myself to the more 
valuable properties it possesses. It renders available 
valuable constituents in the soil and is spoken of as 
a digester of food, it stiffens the straw of cereals, and it 
has a great affinity for moisture. The latter property 
is what will most commend it to the notice of coco- 
nut planters. In seasons of drought like the present, 
it will attract moisture from the atmosphere and make 
it available to the roots of coconut trees. 
At the present moment, a disease affecting the 
fronds of coconut trees is exercising the minds of 
planters. The causes of diseases affecting plants are 
generally complex, and often baffle the research of 
professionals. Opinions as to its cause are divided. 
For me, with no aspirations to a knowledge of the 
mysteries of Agricultural Chemistry, to express an 
opinion as to the cause of this particular disease, will 
be the height of presumption, if not of folly. All I 
dare to do is to make a guess as to its cause, and so 
put professional men on the scent. Dr. Trimen 
hazards a guess as to its cause. He says tbe 
trees must be suffering' from innutrition. Innutrition is 
possible in two ways. 1. Absence in the soil of a ne- 
cessary constituent of plant food. 2. Iuability of the 
plant to take up nutriment either from want of roots 
or the absence of moisture in the soil. I suppose, it 
is too well known to be repeated that plants can ab- 
sorb food only in a liquid state. It is well known 
that any disease finds its first victims in weakly con- 
stitutions. Infection or contagion then communicates 
it to healthy subjects. The theory I put forward in 
the coconut leaf disease is that tbe trees are possibly 
suffering from the absence in the soil of salt, or from 
its presence in too small quantities, and I humbly 
present it to tho consideration of Dr. Trimen. 
Many are doubtless under the impression that so 
soluble a substance as salt, will be washed out of the 
soil by our violent monsoon rain storms before it can 
be of any benefit to tbe coconut tree. They may make 
their minds easy on that score, for the upland soils on 
which coconuts are grown are mostly clayey or have a 
clayey subsoil. Ouo valuable property of such soils is 
