April t, 1898.] THE TROPICAL 
THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE 
COCONUT INDUSTRY. 
When reading the paragraph on Coconuts, in 
the Notes on Economic Proilucts in Mr. Willis’s 
Administration Report for last year, it struck 
us that the language used might be misunder- 
stood, if indeed it wa.s not itself due sto a mis- 
apprehension of the figures quoted. Our legal 
contemporary has been the first to trip in con- 
sidering the export statistics on which the Di- 
rector of the Botanic Gardens commented. Our fear 
was that the official comments, — as indeed those 
in the case of Cacao as well, — might lead to the 
impression that the e.vports show an uninter- 
rupted advance. Of Cacao, for instance, Mr. 
Willis writes “ The Exports continue to increase 
steadily, being .34,503 as against 31,366 cwt. in 
1896.” The increase last year as compared with the 
previous year is beyond quesdon ; but a steady 
increase can scarcely be predicated of the pro- 
duct which in 1893 showed much larger exports 
than in the two following years, and which has 
shown the fluctuating tendency which character- 
ised Coffee after it had passed its meridian, 
when a heavy outturn was generally fol- 
lowed by a short crop. The remarks on Coco- 
nuts again may possibly sugge.«t to the 
unwary the progressive increase of exports — the 
comparis n of 1897 with 1896 being held to 
reflect the general increase from year to year. 
Caretul examination of the figures for any de- 
ceninial period will ^ow fluctuations in every 
product of the Coconut palm, save the Desic- 
cated Kernel in which there has been a steady 
annual increase since the industry was started, 
if we exclude the single year 1894, when there 
was a slight decrease as compared with 1893. 
That was due, as we explained at the time, to 
the Mills having worked short time for a few 
months, either owing to orders from home hav- 
ing slackened temporarily, or with a view to dis- 
courage would-be producers who were contemplat- 
ing erecting small Desiccating Mills throughout 
the country. There may be — there probably has 
been for years — a steady increase in the Coconut 
crops of the Island, the produce of the area com- 
ing into bearing being n’ore than sufficient to 
make good any shortage through bad seasons in 
particular districts ; but all the same, our Export 
tables— and it is on these Mr. Willis bases his 
remarks — do not show that progressive in- 
crease which we all desire, and which our 
contemporary of the local “ Examiner ” has 
assumed. In referring to the decrease in the 
export of Nuts in 1897 as compared with 1896, 
he rightly says it is insignificant, and is more 
than compensated for by the increase in the 
quantity of Oil and Desiccated Kernel ; but we 
cannot accept this increase as a reason lor the 
decrease. That would imply that we sent aw'ay 
all that we could spare. We should think the 
island would have been able to ship double the 
nuTnberof Nuts it did, if only there was a demand. 
The quantity of Nuts shipped is regulated by 
orders from Europe (chiefly) and by the cheap 
freight which may be available, rather than by 
the outturn of our Coconut-groves. As we 
pointed out in our article on the Export Statis- 
tics of last year, in our issue of 11th January, 
the Coconut Oil exported in 1897 represented 
only a fair average quantity, for while it ex- 
ceeded the exports of the two previous years, it 
fell short of the quantity for 1891, and w'as far 
short of that for 1892, wlien 550,977 cwt. 
agriculturist, 689 
were exported. That quantity represented 
a total of 275,488,500 nuts ; and adiling 
to that, the numbers represented by Desic- 
cated and busked Nuts, w'e have close on 
300,000.000 Nuts for 1892 ; where.as our Exports 
last year represent about 4U to 50 million Nuts 
less. There has not been any falling-olf in pro- 
duction ; nor ,vere the exports restricted by in- 
creased local consumption. The demand for Oil 
has been slack, and that doubtle.ss stimulated 
local consumption. Without a better demand 
for Oil, in the future, the supply of Nuts is 
likely to outstrip the demand. Then, the 
local “ Examiner ” is mistaken as re- 
gards Coir. The Exports last year were far in 
exce.ss of those for 1896, and Mr. Willis has had 
no monopoly in the statistics for 1897. They 
have been available to the public from the first 
week in January, and have been freely discussed 
and commented on ever since. 
PLANTING NOTES FROM KALUTARA. 
Neboda, March 8. 
We seetii to be fairly over the “ droughty ” 
season which has let us dow’ii lightly in com- 
parison with previous years ; for I have known in 
byegqne hot seasons quite a month’s dry weather 
at ibis time of year ; whereas this season we 
have scarcely had 12 days dry. But then our N.-E. 
monsoon (October-November) was a total failure 
and fortunately few believe in this monsoon for 
planting. 
The I'ewest (though not so new in this part of 
the world) of new products is Hevea Braziliensis 
(Para rubber) wdiich promises well from all 
accounts and fortunate are the lucky ones who 
have seed to sell. 
There are not nearly the qxiantity of seeds 
growing which are reported ; owing to damage 
done by porcupine-*, hares, cattle (especially) and 
weeders and 1 doubt if a quarter of the seed sold 
from various gardens ever grows owing to these 
causes. It seems regiettable to me that the 
Government should liave taken up the rdle of 
“ seed.smanand florist” in connection with the sale 
of Para rubber seed.s. I could quite understand it 
if tbs revenue of the Premier Crown colony was 
in danger of extermination from the collapse 
of our staple product. How'ever, I hope, 
that Mr. Willis’s Department will get the full 
benefit of the sales and that in future Reports 
(if this is to be the Government policy) we shall 
Iiear no more of cattle running wild in the 
Botanic Cardens and damaging valuable plants 
and all for the want of a few yards of wire 
fencing ! 
^ 
THE HOT SEASON IN CEYLON AND 
SUMMER IN AUSTRALIA 
RABBIT AND INSECT PLAGUES. 
{Communicated.) 
The beginning of the hot and trying season 
(from middle of February till towards the 
end of May) has again came round, and no 
doubt many of us who from Vrusine.ss pressure 
or official duties .are unable to leave the low- 
country (from altitude 2,500 ft. to sea level) 
for “the hills,” — 4,000 feet and upward.s — 
will be forced to give a thought to the un- 
fair ness orinequality of our climate and to the ad- 
vantages of living in countries not styled the tro- 
