PART 1V. 251
Mr. HARDENBERG said that, usually, the coconut plantations
kept a number of boys to collect the rhinoceros beetle and
Rhyncophorus; the number of beetles which each boy had to collect
varied according to the severity of the infestations. = This procedure
was especially followed in the new plantations.
In February, 1923, a cyclone uprooted some 50,000 trees in the
district of Euclimane. Naturally, it was not possible to destroy all
these stems in a short time, and as a result the number of beetles
increased considerably, and the planters were forced to employ a
greater number of boys to deal with the situation. Three inspectors
(Police) were commissioned to visit the properties and compel the
proprietors to cut down and burn the dead trunks. After one year of
sustained effort, the coconut plantations reverted to the original
number of collectors as before the disaster, requiring the same number
of beetles to be brought in. This method of collecting by boys hud
proved fairly successful.
The use of traps, by leaving the dead trunks lying for two or
three months, could be recommended, with the two following
precautions -
(1) The planter must not forget these trunks.
(2) For these traps no trunks must be employed which have
died of ** bud rot.”
(The following discussion took place at a joint meeting of the
Agricultural, Entomological and Mycological Sections.)
The CHAIRMAN (Mr. Fuller) referred to the paper contributed
by the Director of Agriculture, Seychelles, which had been read in
the Entomological Section.
It was agreed that a letter should be addressed to the Seychelles,
thanking the Director of Agriculture for his paper.
Mr. HOLM asked for information from neighbouring territories
as to:—
(1} Whether it was practicable or advisable to prohibit the
tapping of coconuts.
(2) What steps were possible to prevent the thieving of nuts.
Mr. KIRKHAM stated that in Zanzibar, tapping was strictly
prohibited. In regard to thefts, no one was allowed to be in possession
of more than ten nuts without a permit, which was issued only to
plantation owners or to licenced dealers. This regulation could not
be said to prevent thefts, but it certainly had some measure of success.
Mr. KIRBY said that in Tanganyika, Government had the power
to prevent tapping in prescribed areas, as required. In regard to
thefts, the Department of Agriculture had suggested legislation on the
lines of the Zanzibar regulations. but such legislation had not so far
been approved.
Mr. HOLM was very interested to hear that Zanzibar had found
that it was practicable to prohibit the tapping of coconut palms, and
that Tanganyika possessed the power to do so. This information was
mteresting, in as much as the populations of the Kenya coastal area
and of Zanzibar were very similar. Opinions had been expressed in
Kenva that it would be unreasonable to enforce such rules. as the

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