Fall of mature coco-nut palms in New Guinea, due to soil conditions.

Abstract

Falling of mature coco-nut palms due to soil conditions, bad drainage, and so on, is not an uncommon occurrence in some plantations in New Guinea. The bending over of palms on water-logged, low-lying situations, or in peaty soils, so that they almost touch the ground, is a common indication that palms are growing on such soils. Often, though not invariably, such palms fall completely to the ground. They usually remain stunted or low in height, chlorotic and poorly bearing, until drainage is improved.