The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1882-02-15

! that fluid may be carried in them, as
in buckets, baskets to catch fish and
( 10 carry them. xa
The midrib of the leaves are d ID
for propelling boats instead of manu-
factured oars or paddles, and when
bruised at one end, this same useful
midrib is converted into a brush for
scrubbing and whitewashing. The
smaller ribs OF the leaves become
formidable rivals to the pin manu-
facturies, being universally employed
by the poorer population Of the
palm Lands, in place of those in>
dispensible articles of the toilet. AS
toothpicks, also, they perform good
service, and by simply tying a bun.
die Of them firmly together, with a
midrib in their center, most excel
lent broom is obtained, so excellent
indeed that no other is employed by
either rich or poor.
By the South Sea islanders, too,
these small ribs of the cocoa>leaf are
extensively used as teeth for the
combs, OF which they are skiiltul
manufacturers.
The chief food of domesticated el~
epLants is the cocoa-nut leaf, and it is
wonderful thing to observe how dex-
terously this intelligent animal sep
arates the woody fibre from the thln>
ner margin of the leaf.
In the Nadine Islands species of
fish (the bonneta) is preserved by
means of the cocoa-nut leaf; the back
bone is removed from the fish, and
after being placed for some hours in
the sun, with frequent sprinklings of
salt water, it is wrapped carefully in
coeoasleaves. and buried in the sand,
where it soon acquires a horny hard>
ness, and is then sold in the markets.
By skilltul manipulations, hats,
bonnets, capes and tippets are formed
Of the entire leaf. and in the Mar
quesas Islands the full dress of the
priests is formed of these wondrous
leaves, without the addition OF any
other material.
Soap is seldom needed or employed
in the regions of the cocoa palm, be.
cause these same leaves, when
burned, yield large proportion Of
potash, which admirably answers
the purpose of cleansing agent.
SO numerous, in fact, are the uses
OF the cocoa>nut leaf that our limited
space compels us to leave their value
" half untold" Let us, therefore,
pass on to the fruit of this noble tree,
the cocoaSnut itself.
In its earliest state, small, green
ard immature, it yet commences it's
career OF service to man, tor, when
grated fine, it becomes a valuable
medicine, and, when mixed with the
oil of the ripe nut, it becomes heal.
ing ointment. A little further adj
vanced, the semi.transparent Jelly
which lines the she'll furnishes deli
cate and nutritious food, while the
aqueous fluid OF milk" in it's center
becomes, when iced, a most delicious
luxury, which is also frequently used
in tea as a substitute for cows milk.
In tn cir unripe state. cocoa-nuts
are used as regular article of food.
The natives of Ceylon and Malacca,
living upon no other food than this,
will yet labor vigorously day after
day, while in the Maldive Islands las
Dor performed is, more frequently
than otherwise, paid for in cocoa.
nuts alone.
In every land where this palm
t1ourishes its fruit forms a principal
article oftood, and in the East, as we
have seen, the milk of the small red
cocoa nut is used as a cement in
building.
In the prepare ION Of the world.
renowned l,enDrnn E' - India condiment--
a mos most j. .csted cocoa'nuts perform
rL ,4apoftant part
r. q chief product Of the kernel of
20 eocua-nut is an oil, which is ex-
I traeted either by decoction er COM
preston, the latter being the method
generally adopted when the opera.
| tion is performed npon a large scale.