July  1,  189G.] 
Supplement  to  the  “ Tropical  Agriculturist'’ 
67 
(Messrs.  Allanson  liailey,  W.  E.  Davidson,  A.  (J. 
Kingsford,  and  H.  V.  Lusliington)  appointed  by 
the  (lovernor  to  report  on  tlie  proposal  to  extend 
the  railway  into  the  Kelani  Valley.  Among  the 
Appendices  we  iind  much  useful  information 
on  the  subject  of  coconuts.  We  cpiote  as  follows  : 
“ As  regards  the  yield  a table  is  inserted  here 
collating  the  leading  authorities  in  Ceylon  on 
this  point.  From  it  may  be  deduced  the  fact 
that  the  scientifically  cultivated  estates  in  Siyane 
Xorale  would  yield  not  less  than  an  average  of  40 
nuts  per  tree  or  3,000  nuts  per  acre.”  There  are 
some  no  doubt  who  will  object  to  the  authorities 
mentioned  in  the  annexed  table  being  called  “ lead- 
ing authorities”  when  the  names  of  such  well- 
known  planters  as  Messrs.  Wright,  Jardine,  de  Mell, 
Schrader  X'C.  are  left  out ; but  the  value  of  the 
figures  is  by  no  means  diminished  on  that  account. 
The  information  which  follows  is  culled  both  from 
the  Sessional  Paper  referred  to,  and  also  from  the 
notes  of  the  correspondent  who  was  kind  enough 
to  draw  our  atention  to  the  official  publication. 
•03.1) 
.13d  S)uy4 
X 30 
'ix  ^ 
0^ 
Ip  Lp 
cq  ^ 
(M  TO 
o o 
09 
^ 2 
CO  CO 
Ip 
I'*  lo 
COOJ 
•3.10U 
,i3d  s-)uf4 
182U 
2300 
1688 
2361 
3200 
1400 
O 
O 
o o o 
O O L0> 
O OI 
ox  ox 
3200 
2000 
•o.iou 
.I3d  S33.1X 
O 1'- 
X 
o r> 
X 
O O LO 
X X 
o 
X X 
•SUOt[[UU 
Ul 
mm 
VO.llO 
o o 
Gi  O 
CO 
C3  ^ 
CO  »o 
: : : 
•SUOl[[lIU 
III  S33.1J, 
-H  O 
o o 
C-1  ^ 
: ; 
: i : 
i i 
•s:)uuo30j 
aopuu 
s3.ioy 
o o 
o o 
0^0 
CO  o 
o 
1-  o 
O C3 
CO 
o o 
Ci 
• O 
CO 
; ; 
: : : 
H 
•-H 
o 
cc 
o 
CO 
p 
c3 
a 
c5 
a 
o' 
* 4^ 
P 
o 
m 
o 
rfi  03  O 
•r-l 
g 
O cn  CO 
• fM 
- 03 
: <v 
o 
o o)  : 
« g • 
03  ^ 
® 3 
wlj 
o 
OD 
r o 
o • 
<V  ' 
rt  5 a 
£c  c^.5  : 
a ■ 
® a <r. 
cs  o tc  - 13  ^ 
^ IS  .i;  ^ 2 |jr  S 
le  ce^‘  i:  — ^ 
►>  "n  3 a d o 3 
® O O o f? 
^ .S  -S' 
i£ph  h <; 
a; 
03 
o 
ce 
03  "O 
o a 
c3 
^'o 
0^ 
■4^  03 
Cv  ^ 
> 
>-—  O;  CC 
is  -.5 
^ , 02 
<n5 
rr. 
s 
“ c 
4)  , • 
. 
-O  4J  . 
■—  0)  tn  ' 
03 
z:  ^0 
03  cC 
S 
> 
Q 
'-Hi  ^ 
03  ci 
2 2 
03  ^ 
S' 
c-i  cc  o GO 
The  following  notes  compiled  from  various 
sources  and  specially  checked  by  Mr.  F.  Eeven, 
of  Franklands,  Veyangoda,  give  full  particulars 
as  to  tbe  weight  of  the  various  pioducts  . 
(1)  O//. —40  nuts  yield  1 gall,  of  oil,  value  III  to 
Rl-25. 
or  12| 
1 cwt.  value 
500 
RIO  to  Rl()-50. 
One  acre  at  3,000  nuts  given  6 cwt.  oil,  value  R99. 
Note. — The  number  of  nuts  per  gall,  of  oil  varies 
in  different  districts  from  30  to  40.  Mr,  Beven 
quotes  36  nuts  as  a fair  average. 
(2)  Poonac. — The  oil  ought  to  be  § of  the  original 
weiglit ; poonac  If  an  acre  yields  (5  cwt.  oil,  it 
ought  to  yield  also  3 cwt.  poonac. 
Poonac  varies  immensely  in  price  according  to 
its  (jiialit}'.  Perhaps  R2'50  per  cwt.  is  a fair 
price.  Thus  an  acre  which  yields  6 cwt.  of  oil  for 
1199  and  3 cwt.  poonac  at  K2’00,  gives  a gross 
letiirn  of  RIOG'OO  exclusive  of  the  value  of  husks, 
(3)  Lupvn  is  sold  by  the  candy  or  param  which 
0 cwt.  or  560  lb.  It  is  generally  reckoned  that 
1000  nuts  yield  a candy  of  copra.  (It  varies  from 
900  in  the  Chilaw  district  to  as  much  as  1500  else- 
where). The  usual  calculation  is  that  2 nuts  = I 
lb.  copra.  A fairly  good  e.state  with  a yield  of  300 
nuts  per  acre  would  give  15  cwt.  of  copra,  or  at 
R46  per  candy,  a gross  return  per  acre  of  R138. 
(4)  Coconuts. — A green  coconut  with  husk  on 
weighs  4 lb.  ; if  dried  it  weighs  2^  to  3 lb. ; if 
dried  and  husked  2 lb.  The  yield  by  weight  of 
an  estate  givs  3000  nuts  per  acre  is  over  2^  tons, 
Mr.  II.  L.  Daniel,  who  is  said  to  be  the  fi»et 
coconut  planter  who  kept  statistical  records  ot  the 
yield  of  coconut  properties  gives  the  following: — 
Estimates : 
Coconuts  : 
Chilaw  district 
Negombo  „ 
Maha-oya  „ 
Siyane  Xorale  East 
Nuts  per  tree, 
60,  70,  80 
50,  60 
50,  60 
35 
llewagam,  Salpiti  and  Rayigam 
Xorale  25  to  30 
[N.B. — Good  cultivation  will  yield  even 
Hewagam  Xorale  45  to  50. 
Copra  : 
900  nuts  tor  a candy 
1000 
1200 
1500  „ „ 
bearing  trees. 
)) 
() 
m 
is  the  best  result, 
is  a high  return, 
is  a fair  average, 
is  the  result  Avith  heavy 
Nuts  yield  in  chekku  mills  foil  to  f poonac. 
Theoretically,  coconut  trees  are  planted  25’  x 2^5’, 
or  7o  trees  to  the  acre,  but  70  is  a high  average. 
Native  gardens  may  be  more  thickly  planted,  but 
the  yield  is  more  than  correspoudingiy  less.  A fair 
average  for  old  estates  is  60  trees.  New  estates, 
without  vacancies  average  70  trees. 
The  average  weight  of  copra  of  an  average  acre 
in  Siyane  Xorale  would  be  not  less  than  7|  cwt. 
the  preserving  of  fruit. 
{Continued, ) 
Fruit  preserved  in  the  manner  already^  des- 
cribed will  keep  for  years.  In  cans  the  fruit 
will  keep  in  almost  any  position  and  regard- 
less of  temperature,  but  in  glass  jars  the  case 
is  somewhat  different.  Light  promotes  chemical 
action,  and  hence  fruit  in  glass  jars  must 
either  be  stored  in  a cool  underground  room, 
(>r  a cheap  substitute  and  safe  receptacle  may 
be  easily  made  by  sinking  a common  box,  of 
sufficient  size  in  some  out  of  the  way  corner 
under  the  house.  Absence  of  light  and  a uni- 
form, if  not  very  low,  temperature  will  keep 
all  canned  goods  safe.  To  be  sure,  however, 
the  glass  jars  sliould  bo  wrapped  with  paper 
to  exclude  the  ligiit. 
