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(2) The factors which govern pollination and fertilization, 
It will be seen that the more precise the method 
of pollination, be it for example a case of unfailing 
insect pollination the less will be the variations 
expressed as a result of it. 
(3) Various cultural factors such as soil, water supply, 
climate, etc. 
Of these three groups it will be evident that group (1) presents 
great difficulties, and the effect of the individual in the fruit 
production of any set of trees on a limited area may be very great 
and almost of itself decide the dimensions of the experiment. 
In experiments of the nature under discussion there are two 
distinct problems, the one of patches of backward palms — palms 
obviously “ not doing ” as shown by their general appearance — and 
the other of the stand of good palms. This latter is again two fold 
in its aspect that of the young and that of the old palm. 
As concerns the former, the planter being aware of the cardinal 
points of coconut culture, knows in a general way the physiological 
requirements of the palm. He can often make a very shrewd 
guess at the cause of the backwardness of any one pocket of 
palms ; he knows the value of an extra drain here and of a little 
cultivation there as means to improve their condition, and can 
achieve much good by intelligent application of the knowledge 
of husbandry which he possesses ; and though he is the first to 
acknowledge that he is often quite unable to speak of his results 
in terms expressing actual measurement, the fact that he actually 
achieves good will not be denied even by the scientific purist. 
But what may be spoken of as agriculture in its best sense 
deals with issues far less clearly defined than these. It deals 
with the detection of differences of much smaller magnitude. 
This being so it must be acknowledged that personal judgment on the 
best forms of cultivation, on the values of different leguminous cover 
crops or different manures, or on the much disputed point of clean 
weeding in an estate of uniform palms is but a flimsy deciding 
factor j these, however, are the very points which the investigator in 
his efforts to make a good stand of palms yield yet more, is called 
upon to decide. The differences in nature of these two problems 
have hitherto not been sufficiently appreciated. It is the latter 
problem with which these observations deal. As mentioned above 
the problem is a dual one. With respect to the problem of the 
young palm it is a matter of recent history since the Department of 
Agriculture was asked to undertake a comprehensive series of 
experiments on young palms. The problems put forward for solution 
were the values of different kinds of manures, of different leguminous 
cover crops, of different forms of cultivation and of combinations of 
each of these treatments, a large number of varied treatments being 
