Jan. r, 1895.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
457 
COCONUT PLANTING ON THE NORTH- 
EAST COAST OF INDIA. 
What are coconut planters in Ceylon to say 
to the letter of Mr. Lushington, District Forest 
Officer, Kistna, which we give in another column ? 
If there is waste land available for coconuts, 
to be purchased or leased, for planting in 
that neighbourhood, there must be capitalists in 
this island who would only be too glad to 
take it up. For, if coconut palms in Ceylon 
yielding (in plantations of 200 to 500 acres) 
from 40 to 60 nuts per tree per annum, give a 
good return on the capital invested, how would 
it be with a return of 200 nuts per tree, not to 
speak of the larger figures ! Mr. Lushington is, 
of course, speaking chiedy of cultivation m small 
gardens or compounds, and then, unfortunately, 
he has still only native evidence to give us. in 
statistical matters, we, in Ceylon, have long 
learned to trust very little to the information of 
the Oriental who may not have come under the in- 
fluence of Western ways of exactitude in such 
matters for a considerable period. There are, no 
doubt, villages in Ceylon where Mr. Lushington 
would be told of 150 or 200 nuts per tree, al- 
though in reality the heaviest return here is 
under rather than over the 100. Pluckings 
in Ceylon are usually once^a-quarter and to 
get 10 to 12 full-grown nuts per tree at 
each would make a good average for a 
plantation of any extent, though in small gar- 
dens well-cared for, the yield might rise to 15 or 20 
nuts. It is quite evident, though, that the 
palms in the Kistna and Godaveri districts must 
be much more prolific,, and we are the more in- 
clined to accept this news now, because a recent 
visitor to us from Orissa spoke of our coconut 
palms even at Mount Lavinia — where they are 
very fine in our eyes — as to him, more like arecas, 
so slender were the steins as compared with the 
much greater size of the trees to which he was ac 
customed ! This fact would lead us to expect 
greater crops and Mr. Lushington's 25 to 40 nuts 
which he has seen from one tree at a month's pluck- 
ing, bears out the high estimate. We should wish our 
correspondent, though, to take steps personally to 
test the exact yield of a few trees, if possible, for 
a year, and let us know the result. Thirty years 
ago, to satisfy ourselves, we kept the account 
for a couple of years of the trees in the seaside 
garden of a Colombo bungalow with the result 
that the yield averaged only 33 nuts (orRl)per 
tree per annum ; but, then, these trees, though 
well-manured, looked as if they might be SO to 
100 years old. Opposite our present residence 
are ten acres with from 750 to S00 palms alto- 
gether- and these although 45 to 48 years old, look 
as if they could go on bearing vigorously for 
another 40 to 50 years. But their annual crop 
is seldom or never above 50,000 nuts or 00 nuts 
per tree — a very profitable return since 1,01)0 
nuts are now worth fully 40 rupees, making 
the gross income equal to nearly R200 per acre. 
This may be taken as a maximum return for 
Ceylon. At 200 nuts per tree, in the Gan- 
jam or (lodaveri district, the return would be 
over KoOOan acre, and the rupee-pagoda-tree would 
thus be once more realised ! .Salt has always been 
found bo benefit the coconut palm, though hanging 
a bag in the heart of the tree seems rather a round- 
about way of applying it. We are still puzzled 
as to the several transplanting* ; here, they 
would involve risk lather than benefit to the 
palm. As 40 to 50 years in North-East India, 
seem regarded as the limit of age against 70 to 
100 in Ceylon, it is possible that the heavy crops 
forced from the palms in the case of the former may 
account for the difference in their life-periods. 
It would be interesting to know, too, as to the 
size of the nuts and the distance apart at 
which the palms are planted. In Ceylon, 
40 coconuts yield a gallon of oil, or 500 nuts 
give 1 cwt. of oil in weight ; while for "copra" 
1,000 nuts are counted equal to 525 lb. of dried 
copra. These figures should enable Mr. Lushing- 
ton to compare the relative value of the Ceylon 
and Indian coconuts. 
THE NAHAVILLA ESTATES COMPANY 
LIMITED. 
A general meeting of the shareholders of the abov 
Company was held last month. The report of 
the Directors was adopted, and a dividend of 15 per 
cent was declared. The Directors were re-elected 
and those present at the meeting were T. S. Grigson 
in the chair, R. P. Macfaiiane, A. Orchard, F. J De 
Saram, M. Bremer and J. Paterson as Secretary 
The following is from the Directors' Report-— 
Although the purchase of Nahavilla Estate was 
only completed m July last, the Vendor stipulated that 
the expenditure should be taken over from the com- 
mencement of the agricultural year, viz., 1st October 
1893, and notwithstanding a short Coffee crop the 
Profit and Loss Account shows, it will be seen anett 
surplus on the season's working of R6,245-74 after pay- 
ing all preliminary charges in connection with the 
formation of the Company, and expenses incidental 
to the transfer of the Estate to the Company 
The Directors propose out of the above sum to pav 
a dividend of Rio per share, being at the rate of 15 
per cent per annum which will absorb . , R3 yoo-00 
To pay the Directors' remuneration , . Rl]oo0'00 
To write off from the amount ex- 
pended this season on Capital account 
in order that the cost of Nahavilla may 
stand at the round R100.000 . , pi 144-17 
To carry forward .. \\ K20T57 
During the year 32 acres have been planted 2 with 
Tea, and arrangements have been made far plantine 
a further 23 acres during season 1894-95. 
The Directors have to advise that the purchase nf 
Dry Estate in the Badulla District has C com 
piece;), and that prospects on both properties for the 
Ne v be. son so far as they can at present be deter- 
o l T a l 6 satisfactory, especially as regards the 
Coffee which has blossomed freely, and there is 
good crop ca the trees. 
TEA CROPS. —Our contemporary of the "Times 
of Ceylon is a good deal out in reckoning that the 
Dmioula tea crop as estimated for 1895 is onlv 
equal to 350 lb. per acre all round Tint £ 
about the average that may be deduced 'from 
the Maskehya estimate which is 6 ->00 000 lb 
from very little more than 17,000 acres in 
bearmg-or rather let us say 360 1b. per 
acre allowing a little for young tea. Now in 
the case of the premier district, the Dimbu a 
Association gives an estimate of 16 179 400 1b 
for 1S95, (or 623,000 1b. greater than ^tLm 
mated for 1894 and l lM jSoiE £ £ thai/It 
actual crop of 1893, ; but the total a rea n 
tea Jot Dimbula was given in last Director^ 
at 39,980-practically 40,000 acres ; and we know 
from the previous return that 36,000 of this 
must be m bearing, so that the average y eld 
—allowing somewhat for young tea— is k , ! r 
as possible 420 lb. per acre. fhisVln^c^ 
ingtv good return tor so large a district's 
Dimbula, and considering its elevation „f f- 
3,500 to 6,000 feet above sea-level ' rom 
