The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-07-19
The Cocoanut Of Jamsioa.

Mr.. Hgelow, writing from Jamaica to the New
York Post, thus describes the mauner in which the
people Of that beautiful Island neglect the blessings
Of beneticent Providence
To illustrate this supneness little more in de-
tail there is the cocoanut Of the most profitable
fruits that the earth produces, is turned TO no ac-
count whatever by the Jamaicans, though 1t grows
as luxuriantly here as in any quarter Of the globe
was told, by gentleman who had large number
of these trees growing, that he would esteem 1t the
best property on his estate If he could get one dol
lar hundred for the nuts, but that there avery
limited market for them at any price. And yet
there 10 part of this fruit that is not valuable. Ii
thrives in sandy soil, and bears in Jamaica within
three or four years after 1t 10 planted. From It's
flowers the finest arrack in the world may be dis
TILED, and the best Of vinegar. coarse brown
sugar may also be prepared from the flower. The
green fruit yields nutritious and delightful drink,
and more substantial food in the pulp which con
tains the liquid. When ripe, the fruit is popular as
article of diet in all parts of the world. From
that fruit pure oil may be extracted, which may
be manufactured into candles soap, and used in a
variety of other ways, in which vegetable oils are
available, while the refuse, oil cake, as 1t Is
called, is most excellent food for cattle.
"a medicinal oil is extracted from the bark, which
is used, understand, in Ceylon ef1icacious
remedy in cutaneous diseases the root ia also used
for medicinal purposes; its elastic hbres are some
times woven into strainers for liquids, while the
timber may be used in building, converted into
beautiful articles of furniture The husk consists
of tough fibre, from which cordage and rigging OF
furnishes the finest suflng for mattresses that Is
used, not excepting hair.
'' some of this fibre manufactured at the
prison in Kingston, for mattrass- stuf1ing. / am
satisfied myself that if its value known in
America it would bring higher price than any
commodity now in for bedding. The speci-
that saw manufactured by the con
victs, at cost, was told of six cents a pound
Hair costs with Us, believe, about twenty five
Gents. The process of manufacturing il is very
simple. The husk shells soaked till perfectly
soft, and then pounded out until the tbres are
all separated. This done in the prison by hand
and without the Of machinery, and yet the ar
tcle could be produced by them for six cents a
pound. BY the aid of very simple machine,
something, for instance, like that TO which rags in
papermill are first subjected, il ID very apparent
that the cost of manufacturing it might be re-
duced at least one-h half. When asked why ma
chinery not employed in this department OF
the prison, told that they had not work
enough to occupy the convicts if machinery was
employed. Ofcourse had nothing to say to rca,
conclusive that.
"Thc supply of these husks would be almost mex
haustible They have more value here
than walnut shells have with us, and may be had
by the ship load for the mere expense Of carriage.
cargo OF a thousand tons could be manufactured
for thousand dollars, and be worth in the port OF
New York not less than s 900 soon as the use
fulness Of the article became generally known"
Scientific 1mericdn.