House of Pereira To Walk Under Palm Trees | Page 122

Hufnagel-Betham Family Collection , photographer A . J . Tattersall
Captain Hufnagel experimented with cross-breeding of cattle to obtain the best hybrids for meat production . He purchased breeding bulls for other DH & PG plantations on trips to Australia and New Zealand . In 1906 , 650 head of cattle were on Vailele , as well as sheep , mules and poultry . Coconut plantations had fenced or walled sections to keep cattle out during the first five years of seedling growth when the trees were vulnerable to browsing .
In June 1896 , Apia resident Mrs Paula David went for a visit to Vailele and noted in her diary that the plantation was “ a model example .” She saw cocoa and coffee which had been harvested . Mrs David noted : “ Captain Hufnagel keeps , in addition to horses and bullocks , donkeys , dogs , billy goats , porcupines , guinea pigs , turkeys , guinea fowls , ducks and pigeons .”
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