3 
Ooprah exportation has deprived planters of the residual 
cake (poonac) formerly obtained from coconut oil factories 
which are nearly all closed and it is hoped that palm kernels 
although very hard to break by hand will at some future date 
serve as substitute for poonac which is now sold at a price 
exceeding 8 cents a lb. The rearing of pigs and poultry is 
becoming a difficult problem the whole community having 
formerly relied for the feeding of them on a by-product more 
or less unsaleable (poonac). Unless another similar by-product 
is available, such as palm kernels it will take much time to 
induce the inhabitants to grow Indian corn and other grains 
for the exclusive purpose of feeding their domestic animals. 
For this and for other purposes such as the production of cheap 
oil to be used in the soap factories, which are also heavily 
handicapped by the closing down of coconut oil mills, there is 
no plant more useful than the palm oil to cultivate as an auxi¬ 
liary crop in Seychelles and this consideration has led us to 
publish a report dealing with the methods of planting oil palms 
and of preparing palm oil and palm kernels. This report has 
been published in the local paper Le Reveil. 
In December of this year the largest tree growing at the 
Botanic Station (the one originally introduced from Mauritius) 
produced an abnormal bunch of fruits which instead of weigh¬ 
ing 8 to 10 lbs as the others, reached the phenomenal weight 
of 40 lbs. The fruits in countless numbers were however not 
so large as in smaller bunches. This together with the fruiting 
of other trees within live years (the first male flowers appear 
in the third year) tends to show that the soil and climate of 
this Colony are very suitable to this useful species of palm 
which will not be out of place in this small Colony where indi¬ 
genous palm trees already occupy such a prominent place in 
the jungle. 
Ill 
Distribution of information cn Agricultural 
matters. 
The following reports have been published tills year (1913). 
lo. Report on the methods of growing Palm oil trees and 
of preparing palm oil and palm kernels. 
2o. Report on the importance of growing plants produ¬ 
cing oil seeds with special reference to the Kapok tree 
(Eriodendron anfractuosum) and the wood oil tree 
(Aleurites triloha) already established in the Colony 
outside the coconut growing zone. 
3o. Report on the necessity of improving coconut culti¬ 
vation by manuring and by selecting seed nuts. 
4o. Report on the attack of barnacle scale insects 
(Aspidiotus ficus) on coconut trees and on suggested 
methods of destruction. 
•5o. Report on the propagation of the small black ants 
(Technomyrmex albipes) and on the methods of combat¬ 
ing it. 
Further reports were made : 
lo. On the results of a visit of inspection to the Crown 
lands and to several estates of Praslin submitted to His 
Excellency the Governor. 
2o. Report on the rubber industry (newly started) sup¬ 
plied to an Exhibition Committee in London. 
3o. Report on vanilla planting supplied to the Govern¬ 
ment of St Helena. 
4o. Report on the preparation of banana flour, dried 
bananas and Jamaica figs, supplied to the Governor of 
Fiji. 
bo. Report on the best methods of working Felicite 
Island without prejudice to the interests of Government. 
Photographs of the coconut beetle (Melitomma insulare) 
in its various stages of growth were made on specimens 
supplied to the Director Jardin Colonial France and 100 
prints distributed to planters. 
