Malayan Dwarf Coconuts

Interesting Results of Experiment in Fiji

(An address broadcast from Station ZJV, Suva, on November 16, by Mr. Edward Duncan, of Mua Estate, Taveuni, Chairman of the Coconut Planters’ Union of Fiji—being one of series of addresses arranged by Messrs. Brown and Joske Ltd.)

IVf Y plantation, at Mua, in Taveuni, had 7" been planted already when I bought it in 1910, and the man from whom I pur chased it (Mr. Wright) had already planted up 800 acres with local Fiji coco nuts. These were spaced about 30ft. x 30ft.

Through my agricultural experience, which commenced in 1887 with the Colonial Sugar Refining Company, I was convinced that better crops of coconuts could be obtained by a careful selection of the variety of coconut palm, and after a full study of the problem it seemed to me that the best was to be had in Malaya, where a variety known as the Malayan Dwarf coconut was giving good results.

Of course, in the meantime, I had planted up further areas on Mua with coconuts obtained locally.

I first endeavoured to secure a supply of Malayan Dwarf coconuts in 1914, and I received every assistance from the Fiji Government. However, the Great War intervened, and so it was not until 1921 that I managed to secure supplies.

In that year 1000 coconuts were shipped to me from Singapore, of which 800 were safely landed in Suva. From these I managed to germinate 200 on my planta tion, and in five years these reached maturity. From the nuts obtained from these 200 trees I have kept on planting further areas at Mua, and I now have

about 100 acres planted in Malayan Dwarf coconuts. It seems to me that this variety is well suited to conditions in Fiji, and I can recommend it highly to other coconut planters.

The Malayan Dwarf coconut is a genuine dwarf in all respects—that is to say, in its height, its length and the weight of its leaf, and also in the size of the coconut produced. However, this applies also to its rate of growth, which is much slower than the rate of growth of the ordinary coconut in Fiji.

There is, of course, a species of dwarf coconut which is indigenous to Fiji, well known under the name of “Niu Leka” but this variety is only a dwarf in height and its leaves and nuts are much larger and heavier than those of the ordinary coconuts.

On account of its special characteristics, that is to say, its dwarf height and its light and short top or leaves, the Malay Dwarf is comparatively immune to damage from storms and hurricanes. For the very same reasons, the Malay Dwarf can be inter-planted or planted at much closer intervals than any other variety of coconut known in Fiji. The tips of the leaves of ordinary coconuts growing in good soil touch, if planted at 30 ft. centres, but the Malayan Dwarf only touches at 15 ft. centres. In other words, planting

on the square system, you can get 193 Malay trees to the acre, as against 52 of the ordinary trees.

It takes about 7,000 Malay Dwarf coco nuts to produce 1 ton of dry copra, as against 6,000 of the ordinary nut. You will see that in order to yield 1 ton of copra the 193 Malay trees have to yield 36 nuts per tree each year, and this figure has been found to be well within their capacity. Now, that means that with Malayan Dwarf coconuts, on good soil, you can expect a yield of 1 ton of copra per acre. This sounds a high figure to people in Fiji, but it is nothing unusual in Malaya. In this connection, I will read you a letter I have received from Dr. Jack (Director of Agriculture in Fiji): “Dea'- Sir, —In the Malayan Agricultural Journal of September there is an article on dwarf coconuts which gives yields from 41 acres of dwarfs planted at my instigation in 1920 (November). Growing conditions are good but the crops are worth notice. Since 1928, the field has yielded approximately 19-20 cwts. per acre, as an average, and the yield was: 1933 31 cwt. per acre 1934 29 „ „ „ 1935 34 „ “The yield for 1936 is expected to be 35 cwts. per acre.

“I thought the above would interest you.

Similar yields have been recorded from another estate with a block of 101 acres of dwarfs planted also in 1920 at my instigation.”

It must be noted, however, that the Malay coconut is quite unsuitable for planting on anything but- really good soil, or for planting much above sea level. I think the reason lies in the difference in temperature between Malaya and Fiji. In Malaya the average temperature in the coconut areas is about 86 Fahr. In Fiji the temperature would average about 76 Fahr.

Under favourable conditions, the Malay an Dwarf coconut normally commences to bear at three to four years old. At fifteen years of age the Malay tree has a height and length of trunk of about 12 ft.

The ordinary coconut in Fiji, spaced 30 ft. x 30 ft., would at fifteen years have a corresponding height and length of trunk of 25 to 30 ft.

Under present labour conditions in Fiji it is unlikely that coconut planters will undertake any fresh planting on an exten sive scale, and so the chief virtue and value of the Malay coconut in Fiji will be found to be for inter-planting existing areas of ordinary trees, when the ordinary trees have reached a height of 40 ft. to 50 ft., which is equivalent to 40 to 50 years’ growth in good soil. Consequently, as a result of age, the leaves are much shorter than when the tree was, say, 20 years old. The leaves were probably 20 ft. in length at 20 years old, and by the time the tree is 40 years old, the leaves have shortened to 14 ft. to 16 ft. in length.

It is in such areas that I would recom mend inter-planting with Malayan Dwarf, provided, of course, that the soil is suffi ciently rich, and that the area is not very much above sea level. The Malayan nut can safely be planted midway between each of the old trees in the original rows and, if the original planting was not less than 30 ft. apart each way, then in addi tion a complete new row can be planted between the old rows.

Ever since 1921 I have been planting out Malayan Dwarf nuts, and i have experimented with different spacing. I have some at 22 ft. spaces, some at 20 ft. spaces, some at 18 ft., some at 16 ft., and a lot at 15 ft. spaces. Altogether, I have now about 100 acres and I have obtained the best results from the nuts planted at

15 ft. spaces. It is obvious that the closer you can space the trees the closer will be their top, and at 15 ft. spaces there is a dense shade beneath the tops.

This shade is so great that noxious weeds, such as Lantana, Guava and Clidemia Hirta, become so scarce and feeble that they are easily weeded out and can practically be eliminated. In fact, weeding itself is almost eliminated.

If cattle feed is wanted in such areas, there are special permanent leguminous plants which can be procured which do well under conditions of dense shade. An example of this type of plant is Dolichos Hosea, which also comes from Malaya, This plant affords most excellent grazing, whilst it does not climb the trees or cover the fallen nuts. It is a perennial and so, by establishing it under a plantation of Malayan Dwarfs, all hand weeding of the coconut areas could be eliminated.

You will see that by using Malayan

Dwarf, as suggested, you can get three times the output per acre of nuts and copra, as against using the ordinary coco nut. Obviously the costs of production are greatly reduced and the coconut planter is making better use of his land.

However, there is always “a fly in the ointment”—or should I say “a nigger in the coconut pile.” This, of course, in Fiji, is the scarcity and the rising cost of plantation labour. If there was a reason able prospect of continuity of labour

supply at reasonable cost, no one need hesitate to inter-plant all their areas of old trees with Malayan Dwarf coconuts.

Messrs. Brown and Joske Ltd., Suva, write: If people in New Guinea would like some of these Malayan Dwarf nuts, we probably could make arrangements with Mr. Duncan to send them shipments by the Carpenter Dine.

Mr. R. Giles, for many years secretary of the Primary Producers’ Association at Berry, N.S.W., sailed from Sydney in De cember for Fiji, where he has taken over a dairy property.

Mr. G. M. Murdoch, late District Officer in the Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colony, who had been trading for some years at Kuria, in the Gilberts, died on September 19.