SUMMARY. 
221 
Cultivation. — Suckers are cut from the underground stem, and 
planted 14 or 15 feet apart. Allow three suckers of different stages to 
grow for fruiting. Keep the ground well weeded, ploughed, and harrowed. 
Root out the stool after a few years and put a fresh one near its place. 
Bananas are good shade-plants for young cocoa-trees. 
Gathering. — Cut the fruit a week or more before it would become 
ripe, and avoid bruising. Chop the stem into short lengths for manure. 
THE COCOA-NUT PALM (p. 122). 
Soil and Situation. — The cocoa-nut palm thrives near the sea, 
in (a) alluvial soils near mouths of rivers ; ( b ) deep loam ; or (c) sandy coast 
soils. 
Propagation. — Ripe nuts are sown in nursery beds. Seedlings 
(about six months old) are planted out 25 or 30 feet apart, after the 
ground has been holed. Much water is needful, therefore irrigation is 
often beneficial. 
Pests: 
1. Scale-insects. The leaves attacked should be burnt, or cleansed 
with kerosine, soap, and water. 
2. Beetle-grub, in the bud. This should be found and killed. 
3. Rats. 
The Produce. — Fruit is ready in the fifth or sixth year. Trees 
continue bearing for many years. 
1. The Nuts. These are valuable for — 
(а) Food. 
(б) Their oil (used in making soap, candles, &c.). 
(c) Cattle food. For this the pieces of kernel (called poonac) are 
serviceable, after the oil has been pressed out. 
2. The Coir. The fibres, after being separated and cleaned by 
machinery, are sorted into — 
(a) “ Bristle ” or “ brush fibre ”. 
(b) “Mat fibre”. 
(c) Rough or refuse fibre. 
TOBACCO (p. 124). 
Soil. — A rich soil is necessary; clays and chalky soils are unsuitable. 
Propagation. — From seed; sown in August or September. 
Work to be done: 
1. Ploughing deeply, and harrowing. 
2. Furrows to be made three feet apart for the rows of plants. 
