lue of the oil, L217 10s., thus making a
total of L1,305 sterling. If we obtained 60 nuts from each tree, the
return would be L1,566 sterling, and if 75, L1,957 8s. sterling; and
this from 100 acres of sea side sand! But even _this_ does not exhibit
the whole return of this article of culture. Each nut may be
calculated to give a quarter of a pound of poonac, or oil-cake, being
the refuse after expression, fit for feeding all kinds of stock, which
may be estimated as worth L10 per ton. We must, therefore, add on this
account to our first calculation, the sum of say L325; to the second,
L390; and to the third, L485. This would give, in round numbers, the
entire returns of the 100 acres planted:--At 50 nuts per tree, L1,630;
at 60 ditto, L1,957; at 75, ditto, L2,446.

These are striking results, and may appear exaggerated; but I will, to
show how very moderate has been my calculation, give two returns, with
which I have been favored from Ceylon. These, it will be seen, differ
materially, but the latter I can rely on as a practical result, from a
plantation in Jaffna, the peninsula of the northern portion of the
island. After estimating the expense of establishing the plantation,
the first writer sets down his return thus:--

"The produce, calculating 90 trees to an acre, and 75 nuts to a tree,
sold at L2 per 1,000, would yield 675,000 nuts, worth L1,350; or if
converted into oil, calculating 30 to give one gallon, it would
produce 22,500 gallons, or about 90 tons from 100 acres."

From Jaffna, the following is an abridged estimate of return of 100
acres in full bearing:--"At 27 feet apart, 58 trees per acre, 5,800
trees, at 60 nuts per tree, 3,480 nuts per acre, 100 acres, 348,000
nuts, at 40 nuts per imperial gallon, 8,700 gallons of oil, at 2s. per
gallon, netted L8 14s. per acre. The poonac left will pay the expense
of making the oil. If shipped to England, at the present time (close
of 1848), the selling price there being 55s. per cwt., measuring 12
imperial gallons, say, 4s. 7d. per gallon, and the cost and charges of
sending it home and selling it being 23s., it would leave 3s. per
gallon, or L13 per acre." This sum is _nett proceeds_.

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