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.