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As an alternative to clean weeding, leguminous cover 
crops may be established in the first year of growth. 
These will reduce the cost of weeding and, at the 
same time, increase the fertility of the soil. When 
the young plants begin to develop, growth may be 
further improved by surface cultivation with ploughs 
or disc harrows. On peaty land, where the soil is 
apt to subside after it is opened up, mounding or 
banking the young plants is often necessary, and 
this operation may have to be continued until the 
land has settled down to its normal level. On 
low-lying land, drainage operations will have to be 
carried out, as the coconut palm will not thrive in, 
a water-logged soil. 
■Pests and Diseases . — The coconut palm is fairly free 
from the attacks of insect pests and diseases. The 
worst pests are the red-stripe weevil ( Rhynchophorus 
schach, Oliv.), the black beetle ( Oryctes rhinoceros , 
Linn.), and the caterpillar . of a moth Artona 
( Brachartona ) catoxantha, Hamps., whilst the 
chief diseases are sporadic cases of bud-rot and the 
leaf -spot caused by Pestalozzia palmar um. 
Yields. — The coconut usually comes into bearing 
between the fourth and sixth year after planting, 
and may continue to bear good crops of fruit for 
sixty years or more. When the trees come into 
bearing, the ripe nuts are collected every two to 
two and half months, which gives five to six pickings 
during the year. A good palm in full bearing will 
yield as many as 80 to 100 nuts, but the average 
is about 50 nuts per palm per annum, or approxi- 
mately 2,500 nuts per acre per annum. 
Nuts for making copra should only be collected 
when fully ripe. After harvesting, the nuts should 
be allowed to remain unhusked for about two weeks ; 
