Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1854-07-06
The Cocoa-Mut Tree.

OF the world, especially in the vicinity Of the
sea, growing within reach Of salt water, and
establishing itself upon reefs and sand banks,
as soon as they emerge from the ocean. lis
great importance 10 man has caused it to be
cultivated wherever the climate is fayorable to
its growth. The whole Brazilian coast, from
the river San Francisco TO the bar of Maman-
guape, distance of $50 miles, is, with few
breaks, thus occupied and it is estimated that
IN the year 1913 no less than ten millions OF
trees were growing on Tie southwest coas, Of
Ceylon.
The cocoa-nut palm rises like slender
column, TO from 60 10 80 feet in height. Tn
hot countries, the uses TO which the cocoa-hut
tree are applied are innumerable. The roots
are chewed in place of the aracca-nut; cutters,
drains and the posts of huts are formed from
the trunk; the young buds are a delicate veg
etable shade is furnished by the leaves, when
growing, and after separation from the tree,
their large size and hard texture render them
invaluable as thatch for cottages they are.
moreover, manufactured into baskets, buckets,
lanterns, articles of head-dress, and even books,
upon which writing is traced with an iron sty-
lus their ashes yield potash in abundance /;
their midrl form oars and brushes are made
by brulsing the ends of the leaves, with por-
tion of the midri adhering.
From the juice Of the stem kind Of palm
wine, and subsequently an ardent spirit, is pre-
pared; the farinaceous matter contained in the
stem is good substitute for sago, and coarse.
dark colored sugar, called jagghery, is OBJ
tanned by inspissating the sap. This iagehery,
mixed with lime, forms a powerful cement,
which resists moisture, endures great solar
heat, and will take a fine poish. The ripc
fruit Is wholesome food, and the milk it con
tains grateful, cooling beverage Indeed
these, together, constitute the principal sus-
tenance of The poorer Indians in many coun-
tries.
The fbrous bark is used to polish furniture,
as brushes, and to form a valuable elastic cor
dage, called coir' The fibrous matter of the
husk is employed to stuff mattresses, and a
manufacture Of il into cordage, mats, sacking,
&c, has lately been introduced in Great Britain.
The shell is manufactured into drinking vessels
and vessels Of measure, and the aIbumen, or
white solid matter contained within The she'll.
yields by pressure or decoction, an excellent
oil, which is employed not Only for burning but
in The manufacture Of torches and in the COM
position of pharmaceutical preparations.-
Mixed with dammer (the resin Of lhorca ro-
busta) it forms substance used in India for
covering the seams of ships and boats.
Cocoa-nnts are imported as dunnage, and
therefore free Of freight.
The Philarthropist will be pleased to learn
that whether the existence of cocoa-nut groves
has led TO taste for agriculture, or taste for
agriculture has led to the formation Of cocoa
nut groves, certain il is, as proved by long ex-
pericnce among races just emerging from utter
barbarlsm, that this tree is the banner Of hope
to lis possessor. MIR. Earle says that whenever
assisting TO form remote settlements, lat which
he has spent years Of his life,) several hundreds
of cocoa-nuls. for planting, have always formed
part Of the first ship-loads Of seeds; ard as
sureHy, if the natives preserve the groves that
he has left them, they will have made the first
step out of the darkness oil barbarism.
When once this boundary is passed, progress
becomes smooth and easy, although il may not
be rapid. A fixed residence becomes necessa-
ry, to protect the newly acquired property,
and the plantation now becomes extended to
other plants and edible fruits and roots that
may be found in the woods or procured from
their neighbors.
Hail, then, to the cocoa-nut tree, with its
feather Of leaves and delicious fruit-the COM
mencement of agrculture-the harbinger of
civilzation-may it be propagated from shore
TO shore, wherever it will grow, until barbar-
ism shall be unknown, except as history; the
errors Of Paganism giving way TO the truths of
the Christian religion, its blessings shall be
dillused 10 The furtberlnost parts Of the earih.-
Dollar Newspaper.