It will be seen by the above, that I have been extremely moderate in my computation of the return which may be anticipated, for there is no doubt that planters can, in favorable localities, on the coasts of most of our colonies, cultivate this palm with as much success as attends its culture in Ceylon. By the first of the calculations I have cited from, that island, the gross return appears thus:—
| 22,500 gallons at 4s. 7d | £5,156 | 5 |
| Coir—one-fifth of value | 1,031 | 4 |
| Cake from 675,000 nuts, say ¼ lb. each, 75 tons at £10 | 750 | 0 |
| Total gross return from 100 acres | 6,937 | 9 |
According to the other calculation, the return will stand thus:—
| 8,700 gallons at 4s. 7d | £1,993 | 15 |
| Coir | 398 | 15 |
| Cake from 348,000 nuts, 34 tons | 340 | 0 |
| Total gross return from 100 acres | 2,732 | 10 |
It will be seen that in my calculation I have set down the return lower than it is rendered in the less favorable statement from Ceylon by a sum of upwards of £1,000 sterling. But even supposing one-half of the amount of the lower Ceylon estimate could be realised, we should have a return of £1,366 5s. sterling from 100 acres of sea side sand.
I now proceed to point out the very small outlay required to obtain these results. In places where the coco-nut would be grown, there is generally no heavy woodland requiring great labor with axe and fire, and consequently one able-bodied man should get through the felling and clearing away bush, on an acre of the land to be prepared for the plant, in a short period,—say, on an average, four days. I will calculate, that for wages and rations, each hand employed will cost sixteen dollars per month, an outside price. Let us then say that ten laborers shall be at work. They fell two acres and a half per diem. In one month there should be nearly 70 acres felled; but I will say that the 100 acres will occupy them two months in felling and stacking the wood. During this period our planter may be considered to have had the aid of two more hands, engaged in the preparation, planting out, and care of the nursery of young plants. Two more hands must also be occupied in the construction of tanks and sheds, except where there is a stream of fresh water. For grubbing up the roots, if not very large size, the assistance of about a dozen cattle would be required, a labor which would be performed by means of the common grubbing machine, an implement in the form of a claw. We will consider that all hands are occupied another month in this manner, and in removing and re-stacking the wood, and turning up the land. The planting out would require but little time and labor. At the end of three months then, one-half of the hands, besides those engaged in the nursery and tanks, might be discharged. We must make an allowance for provision for the fodder of the cattle. Six thousand nuts would be required.
Let us now see what are the planter's expenses; making ample allowance on account of each item:—
| dollars. | |
| 6,000 picked nuts at 10 dollars per 1,000 | 60 |
| Hire and rations of 12 hands, at 16 dollars for 3 months | 676 |
| Two hands at nursery, for same period | 96 |
| Purchase of 12 cattle at 20 dollars | 240 |
| Foddering cattle one month | 32 |
| Hire of two extra hands, making tanks and sheds 3 months | 96 |
| Hire of 6 hands for 9 months | 864 |
| Tools (including plough) | 100 |
| Total | 2,064 |
About £415 sterling for expenses for the first year.
Where fencing is required, we must add for making about three miles of fence, say £30 sterling. Two carts would also have to be provided, which will cost, say £20 more. In all we may compute the first year's expenditure at £460 sterling.