that the first year the trees showed fruit or flower, one-tenth of them were destroyed by the beetle; the insects still go on destroying, and hardly a tree attacked ever recovers.

This is a very serious evil, and upon which the fortunes of all those involved in coco-nut planting depend.  The trees come into bearing but very slowly, and I consider no estate will give any return over its current expenses under twelve years.  It takes twelve months from the formation of the flower, till the fruit ripens.  On an estate, perhaps one of the oldest and best in this district, out of 120 acres, part seven and eight years old, about 12 per cent, are in flower or in bearing, and give a return of about twenty-four nuts per tree, on an average, yearly.  On the next oldest, the return is not near so great.  But few of the estates here will, I think, pay interest on the money laid out, and many will never pay anything over the expense of keeping them up, even after coming into bearing.  I doubt if any estate in this district, however economically managed, will ever give a net return of more than L2, or perhaps of L2 10s. per acre, at least without there is a great increase in the consumption of oil in Europe.  The consumption of this oil, in Europe, is under 5,000 tons.  If the beetles do not destroy half the trees, the estates here when in bearing, if they yield anything, will give half that quantity; and it must be borne in mind that coco-nut oil is not a strong oil, like palm oil, and that soap boilers will never use it to any extent, for it will allow but little admixture of rosin, &c.; its use in Europe will be principally for candles and fancy soaps; but as by refining and compression they can now purify tallow, and make of it candles fully equal to those made from coco-nut oil, the consumption of the latter is not likely to increase.  The consumption of candles is always limited on the continent of Europe, liquid oil being preferred, and in many instances gas is now being used where candles formerly were.

The return of land planted with coco-nut trees in Ceylon, in 1851, was 22,500 acres; but this refers only to regular estates recently opened and cultivated chiefly by Europeans.  Let us suppose that the natives possess besides, twenty millions of trees; Butollac in his time estimated the number at thirteen millions.  At 100 trees to the acre, twenty millions of trees give 100,000 acres, so that the total amount of land planted with coco-nut trees would be 122,500 acres.

An hydraulic press, for the manufacture of coco-nut oil, 1,200 horse power and weighing twenty-three tons, was cast at the Ceylon Iron Works, in 1850, by Messrs. Nelson and Son.

In the island of Singapore there are now many extensive plantations in a very flourishing condition, holding out favorable prospects to the proprietors.  Hitherto the island has been supplied almost wholly from abroad with nuts and oil for its consumption, which will, before long, be obtained exclusively from its own soil.  In 1846 there were 10,000 coco-nut trees in bearing in Singapore.