Although this palm can be grown for ornamental purposes as far south as
Brisbane, its cultivation on commercial lines will be confined to the
coast district north of Townsville, and to the islands off the coast,
as, in order to develop its fruit to perfection, it requires a tropical
climate. Where the climate is suitable it does well, it makes a rapid
growth, and bears heavy crops of nuts. Old palms on the beach at Cairns
compare favourably with any growing in the South Seas, and I am of
opinion that its culture in commercial quantities on suitable land will
be found profitable. The cocoa-nut palm does best right on or adjacent
to the seashore, in comparatively poor sandy soil--soil that is usually
of little value for general crops, though it will grow mangoes well. So
far, it is not grown in any large numbers, and although there is a ready
sale for the ripe nuts, there is no attempt to make copra or to utilise
the coir. Copra is the dried flesh of the nut, from which oil is
extracted, and is largely used in the manufacture of soap, candles, &c.,
the refuse left after the oil has been extracted being used for cattle
feed. Coir is the fibre surrounding the nut, and is used for the
manufacture of matting, door mats, &c.
There is a considerable area of land suitable to the culture of this
fruit on our Northern coast, which is at present lying idle, that, in my
opinion, can be turned to a profitable use by planting it in cocoa-nuts
as, in addition to utilising land otherwise of little value, we would be
building up a new industry. The trees come into bearing in about eight
years after planting the seed, and will continue to produce crops for
many years without any attention. Care will have to be given for the
first few years, whilst the plants are small, to keep down undergrowth
and to prevent fires from running through the plantation, but, once
fairly established, the plants will look after themselves. A cocoa-nut
plantation gives a distinctly tropical look to the district in which it
is grown, and the palms, particularly when young, are very ornamental;
when old the long bare stems detract somewhat from the beauty of the
top. It is a palm that I believe has a good future before it in the
North, and for that reason I have included it amongst our tropical
fruits, though it is cultivated at present more as an ornamental plant
than as an article of commerce.
[Illustration: Cocoa-nut Palms, Port Douglas.]