Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1859-04-28
The Palm Trees of Ceylon.

.. Areca, are the most abundant. The talipo
), with its broad fan-leaf and magnificent blossom
is rarely found in the north of the island. Th
d wild date abounds, but is of no value.
J, The Areca tree bears an astringent nut, high
: ly priced by the natives. Like the Palmyra,
is tall and straight, from thirty to fifty or sixt,
8 feet high, and from three to five inches in di
b ameter, without any limbs or branches, ant
only tuft of leaves at the top. These leaves
: are in appearance much like those of the cocoa.
. nut, being long and feather-shaped, hanging
down on all sides of the tree. The timber and
leaves are of little value, as the solid part is
very thin, fit only for laths or pins.
, The timber of the cocoanut tree is of little
use, save for posts in temporary sheds, and fol
well-swceps. The sap is drawn from the bud
ItpafD as it comes up at the top of the tree,
among the leaves, and not by lncision, as Web
ster says. The Palmyra yields sap in the same
way. 1t is drawn both from the male and fe-
male tree.
The tOddy drawers ascend the trees by the
aid Of string made of the fibre peeled from
the stem of the Palmyra leaf. With this a
ring is formed, through which they pass their
feet, so that it rests upon their ances andkeeps
their feet from spreading and enabling them to
press firmly against the sides of the tree. Then
claspng their arms around the tree, (Which is
about n foot in diameter,) they draw themselves
up as far as they can ,and with their feet against
the body of the tree, save what they have
gained. Thus they will ascend the trees very
rapidly, and when their heads are free from
the intoxicating influence of the toddy,* gen
orally with safety.
In some parts of the country on the continent
of India they pass another cord around the
tree over one shoulder and under the other
arn, which aids the hands in clinging to the
tree as they ascend, and is a means of security,
while at work at the top, in cutting leaves or
fruit, or preparing the bud for drawing the
sap.
Small earthern pots, holding about a quart,
are hung upon the stem or bud, after it has been
beaten for several days with small mallet, and
the end is cut off, which is repeated each day.
to secure the flow Of the sap. If the sap is
drawn for sugar, a little quicklime is placed i'll
/ the pot, to prevent the fermentation. 1t is
boiled, and coarse kind of sugar made, which
in commerce is called jaggary
In some parts Of India it is purchased by Eu-
) ropcans, and when refined makes nice article
: for the table. When the sap is allowed to fer
} nent it is intoxicating, and much used by the
lower classes. From the same, arrac is dis
titled, which is extensively used throughout
India, especially in the army, and by those who
have come under the influence of that class of
foreigners. The strict Hindoos are kept from
it by their religion. The Roman Catholics are
for the most Incorporate.
The leaves of the cocoanut tree, when braid
cd, are used for thatching the roofs of houses,
J for fences, being tied to hedge sticks set some
distance apart, and as enclosures to houses in
stead of walls, and screens to the verandahs.-
} The leaf Tor branch) has a strong stem running
the whole length, and is sometimes ten or
| twelve feet long, running to point. and at its
r base c!asping round the body of the tree
g The leaf part shoots out on both Sides like tht
: ftathery sides of a quill, each leaf being
T strengthened by stiff rod an eighth of an incI
t in diameter, and running to point at the tiI
of the leaf. This is very stiff and elastic, anc
; when the Leaf is stripped off from the sides
n they are tied together in small bundles tol
t brooms. A small number of them together arr
s a good substitute for birch twigs in correcting
e children, though net much used for that pur
t pose by the natives. The fruit, for food an(
o oil, is the most valuable product of the tree
: making it more useful to the people than thu
c Palmyra tree, though aside from the fruit tht
C latter is much more valuable than the cocoanut
+ The Palmyra tree, aside from the fruit
y furnishes timber for building the roofs of the
IS houses, for raters, wall plates, and repairs, o
h stats from the thin part Of the tree. These ar
o nailed Or tied to the rafters, and the leaves fo
d thatching are tied to them, with the fibre pecle
from the stem of the leaf, of the same tree
h The best timber is furnished by the female, o
/ fruit-bearing tree, the outer or solid part c
II which is often in an old tree from three to lou
III inches thick The solid part of the other tire
j. is often only half an inch thick fit only for sla
n or laths. The soft part is easily removed whe
ne the tree has been split into two parts, and thu
S. troughs are made for conveying water Iii
u, trees are sometimes used for posts. set in I'll
C. ground for sheds, but are not durable, as IL
IL white ANTS will eat ont the soft part, and ther
ed by ascend under cover to the roof, and soon de
ch troy the whole building. The timber is Of
1t dark color, appearing much like cluster
Is black fbres or iron wires, held together by
N, substance much softer, of a brownish color.
oy takes good polish, and when properly finish,
u makes beautiful walking sticks
H. When the timber is exposed to the wealth
~ this softer part decays, leaving the hbrcs to IA
p apart, or is sometimes eaten out by the AM
10 leaving the fbrcs clnging together and still |
dc tanning the original shape. Such piee
u taken from an old house in Jaifnu, may be SCI
oi in the museum at the Missionary House OF t
Is A. B. c. F. NJ, in Boston.
II" The leaves are tan-shaped and nearly circua
Ia and from four to FIVE feet in diameter, with
nt stem three or four feet in length, which, at
,o base, clasps around the trunk of the tree
,d Each leaf or fan part has seventy or eigh
nd rays divergent from the end of the stem, al
Il each tree has from twenty-five to forty of the
ho leaves on it at IL tnnc. From ten to fifteen
,ld these are generally cut off annually, and on
nr in two years, in the carly part of July, t
FThe sap after fermentation.