The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1882-02-02
THE C0COANUT TREE.
IT'S REMARKABLE ADAPTABILITY TO HUMAN
REQUIREMENTS.

1 Iue COcOdnub pdlu lS CuIcuy COuuHeu
to the sea board regions of the tropics,
| and is rarely found far in the inteior, al
though we remember of having seen sew.
eral very flourishing trees about the town
of Santarim. Brazil, at a distance of GOO
miles from the sea-board. Many of the
| South Sea islands are covered with lux
urious groves of these both useful and
ornamental trees. How they came there
| is, to some extent, still involved in mys.
| terry, since the currants of the ocean
| would have to TRANSPORT fleets of nuts
| dropped into the surf from the overhang-
| ing cliffs of their native homes, before a
single one, after completing its far jour
ney, would be cast up high and dry
enough by the breakers beating against
| the lonely shores of these lonely distant
| coral islands of the great Pacific. Since
| it is conceded that some of these groups,
| srch as the Marquesas islands, have been
| settled by the natives of Papua as early
as the seventh century, it would be more
| reasonable to ascribe the introduction of
the cocoanut to human intervention than
| to that Of the waves, particularly when
| we bear in mind the importance of the
| nut to the natives of Southern Asia on
| account of its nutritive qualities. To the
| natives of many tropical regions it is
equivalent to the date of the Saraha or
the Mandioc of South America. The fol-
lowing passages from Bonifas Guizot's
botany for youth gives us in the garb of
oriental, allegorical language, an idea of
the immence advantages which the inhab-
itants of tropical countries derive from
this one single species of palms.
Imagine traveller passing through one
of these countries situated under the burn
ing sky, where GOODNESS and shade are so
rare, and where habitatIons, in which to
take repose SO necessary to travellers, are
only to be found at considerable distan
ces. Painting and dispirited, the poor
| wanderer at last perceives q hut sur
rounded by some trees with straight erect
stems, surmounted by an immense tuft
of green leaves, some being upright and
others pendent, giving an elegant aspect
to the scene. Nothing else near the cab
in indicates cultivated land. At this sight
the spirits of the traveller revives, he col
lects his strength, and is soon under the
hospitable roof. His host offers him
sourish drink, he slackes his thirst it
refreshes him. When he has taken his
repoGe, the Indian invites him to share
bis repast. He serves up various meats,
contained in brown looking vessel,
smooth and glossy: no serves up also come
wine of an extremely agreeable flavor.
Towards the end of the repast his host
offers him certain succulent comforts,
and he is made to taste some excellent
spirits. The astonished traveller asks
who in this desert country furnishes him
with these things. "My cocoanut tree, J"
is the reply. ''The water 1 presented
you with on your arrival is drawn from
the fruit before it is ripe, and some of the
nuts which contain it weigh three or four
pounds. This almond, SO delicate in its
flavor, is the fruit when ripe. This milk,
which you find 80 agreeable, is drawn
from the nut this cabbage whose flavor
is so delicate, is the tops OF the eocoanut,
but we rarely regale ourselves with this
delicacy, for the trees from which the
cabbage is cut, die soon after. This wine,
with which you are so satisfied, is still
drawn from the cocoanut tree In order
to obtain it, an incision is made into the
spathe of the flowers. 1t flows from it in
the form of a white liquor, which is gath
cred in proper vessels, and we call it palm
| wine; exposed to the air it turns sour and
| is used as vinegar.
BY distillation we obtain this very good
brandy which you have tasted. The sap
has supplied the sugar, with which these
preserves are sweetened. These vessles
and utensils have been made ont of the
she'll of the nut. Nor is this all this
habitation itself 1 owe entirely to these
invaluable trees with their wood my
cabin is constructed their leaves dried
and plated form the roof; made into an
umbrella, they shelter me from the sun
when I walk; the clothes which cover me,
are woven out of the filaments OF their
leaves. These mats, which serve SO many
useful purposes, proceed from them also.
The sitter which you behold was found
made to my hand in that part of the tree
whence the leaves issue with the same
leaves woven together we make sails for
ships the species of fibre, which envel-
ops the nut, is much preferable to tow
for calking ships, as it does not rot in the
water, snd swells in imbibing it :; it
makes excellent strings and all sorts of
cable and cordage. Finally, the delicate
OF which has seasoned many of our
meats, and which is burned in my lamp,
! is expressed from the fresh kernel. "
The stranger listened with astonishment
to the poor Indian, who by only having
his cocoanut trees, he'd nearly every thing
necessary to his existence. When the
traveller was again disposed to take his
| departure. his host once more addressed
him: II am going to write to friend
in the city, may 1 ask you, to charge
| yourself with my communication" Yes,
but will your cocoanut tree still supply
Won with materials2" Certainly" said
! the Indian. with the saw dust severed
| from the leaves | made the ink, and with
the leaves, this parchment; in former