5 
Tlie plajits hitherto introduced have done well even in comparatively very poor soil hut 
they have not yet emerged from the experimental stage and it is very likely that the yield 
of the trees will he much affected hy the nature of the land. Trees grown in alluvial flats are 
much more developed than those grown on stiff literite soil. The former will probably produce 
more and larger heads. Unfortunately this palm is attacked in Seychelles hy a scale insect 
which is very destructive (Ischnaspis filiformis) and which owing to its small size and uncom¬ 
mon appearance is likely to he overlooked for a long time to come. This scale insect is also 
found on coffee, ixora, coconut, and such gardens plants as calathea. I do r.ot think however 
that these parasites are worse than those of the coconut tree hut in both cases they levy a heavy 
tax on these cultivated plants. The palm oil tree (like the coconut tree) seems to grow as well 
on coral land as on granitic land hut no experiment have as yet been made on a large scale to 
show that it thrives on purelj coral islands. A few plants set out in 1913 on coral land have 
however flowered as early as on granitic land. Coconut palm are so much handicapped hy 
beetle diseases that another palm of the same hardy type would be a useful adjunct in Sey¬ 
chelles plantations even if it gives an inferior crop. There is no comparison hitherto made 
between the two crops side hy side hut as palm oil trees are produced so easily by seeds it is 
likely to become spontaneous on abandoned or waste land and in that condition it is well 
known that coconut trees will not bear at all. It is important to have in this undeveloped 
Colony plants which can grow wild or which can grow well without much trouble. As an 
example I can quote cinnamon introduced by Monsieur Poivre in the middle of the 18th cen¬ 
tury which has spontaneously established itself in the jungle, before it began to be known and 
exploited. It has produced at least a million Rupees worth of bark and essential oil from 
leaves in the last decade. 
Already three different strains of the palm oil have been introduced into the Colony. 
The soft shelled variety is not common in Africa except perhaps in some parts of Nigeria and 
the Cameroon. It is considered hy many as a freak of nature. The question of varietal 
difference between palms of various origin is however receiving the attention of the authorities 
in England and a most liberal sum have been placed by the Right Honourable the Secretary 
of State for the Colonies at the disposal of the Director of Agriculture S. Nigeria to carry 
out the necessary botanical investigations in connection with the breeding of palm oil, Th 
is no doubt that this and other Colonies will soon be la a position to take advantage of the 
result of the investigation in question which will he followed with great interest. 
6. Algaroba (Prosopis juliflora) is another tree of great economic importance which was 
introduced during the year through the instrumentality of Professor Piper of United States 
Department of Agriculture. The tree is a native of Texas and it is grown extensively in 
Hawaii for its fruits (beans) which are used as food for cattle, pigs and poultry. Seychelles, 
owing to the steepness of the land, is more suitable for trees than for herbaceous plants and 
folder grasses. Cattle food is very scarce since coconut cake (poonac) is no longer made in 
the Colony. For this double reason trees like Algaroba are a welcome addition tn our economic 
plants. The trees introduced are about one year old, they are already 8 feet high. It is 
likely that they will flower and fruit in the second year as they do in their country of origin. 
CHAPTER III. 
DISTRIBUTION OF INFORMATION ON AGRICULTURAL MATTERS. 
A series of leaflets were published during the year and distributed free to planters. 
In the first the coconut beetle disease caused by Melicomma iasulare was described and 
measures were suggested to combat it. Much stress has been laid on the control of this pest 
of the coconut trees which attacks them at the base of the stem and gradually kills them. As 
the palms remain sometimes several years before succumbing it was painted out that other 
beetle and scale insect diseases find an easy prey on these weakened trees and as the melitomma 
beetle breed in coconut stems only and nowhere else, it not only easier to combat the 
disease caused hy them than the others but also by combitting the small beetle first the other 
diseases would find little ground to establish themselves. It would be of little use to cheek the 
ravages of the scale and other insects if the beetle is left boring into the stem of the coconut 
stems near the ground. Many planters have taken up the treatment of attaked trees which 
consists in scooping out by means of a gouge and burning all affecte l tissues containing the 
larvse and tarring over the wounds. In many districts this simple treatment is however not 
adopted and the trees succumb yearly in great numbers. As a coconut tree in full bearing is 
worth at least Rs 20, a planter can well afford to spend 20 cents to combat the melitomma. But 
the nature and cause ot the disease is not very apparent unless one cuts into the stem of the 
tree. This means that each tree in bearing has to be examined at least every year. This simple 
task is unfortunately still beyond the ordinary routine work of most estates in the Colony. 
In the second leaflet the symptoms and nature of the stem bleeding disease of the coconut 
palm were described and the means of control, as adopted in Ceylon, explained. Thecliseise 
is caused hy a fungus (Thievalopsis ethaceticus) tvhich decomposes the tissues of the trunk in 
one or several places. A black liquid oozes out from the decomposed tissues and runs down the 
stem. The treatment is the same as the one recommended against the melitomma. One and 
the same treatment is sometimes sufficient for both diseases in a given case although the bleed¬ 
ing disease generally affects higher portions of the stems. At any rate when the treatment 
against the melitomma. is carried out the bleeding can be attended to at the same time with 
4he same instrument. It is mostly the two diseases above mentioned that have induced the 
Seychelles planters to adopt the system of interplanting young trees in all plantations of the 
Colony whether or not attacked by diseases and whether old or young. The idea was to set out 
young trees iu advance in oi her to supply the vacancies left by the premature death of the old 
