The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1882-02-15
On an average, twelve nuts yield


! one quart of pure oil.
The process is con'henced by
cleaning the nut of the iter husk;
/ the shell is then broken I'D the nut
exposed to the sun for AReral days,
at the expiration of whgn time its
watery parts are all evs9prated. In
this state the kernel is slled copre.
To extract the oil, tie copra is
ground in clumsy milf worked by
bullocks, and the substasee or refuse
which remains after this operation is
fed to pigs and poultry In its ma
tive lands this oil is useoAor lamps.
The lower ranks burn it e cocoa.nut
shells, the wicks being q bunch of
fibre from the husk. ~ p wealthier
classes, however, pous she oil into
brass lamps four or tiv feet high,
having several flat basingS WITH orna.
mental beaks to hold lthe wicks.
Cocoa>oili is also used TO annoint
the body, and is extensively em~
ployed as substitute tof olive.oil in
pharmaceutical preparatlpns Mixed
with a species Of resin, AID the cons
pound melted, substan is obtained
which is used in Indil instead of
pitch for caulking the. seems Of boats
and ships.
Cocoa nut oil has Of late years
found in England two n,w and i'm
portant uses: the one as \ cheap sub
stitute for wax in the ma suiacture of
fine candles; the other, an excel
lent material for a fin quality of
soap. 1t is also often 81 oployed as a
lamp-oil IN European ,untries, as
we'll as in its. native lap 1 and the
cloth manufacturer and sass blow
er frequently pfefoxsss thatof
olive~oil.
In closing our account of the uses
of the kernel of the cocoasnut, we
must not forget to mention custom
which, to US of more refined taste,
is simply revolving, but which to the
Marquesans who practice it is highly
enjoyable and natural.
When the elder natives decide
upon grand "drinking bout" they
collect together all the boys in the
neighborhood and compel them to
seat themselves around an immense
bowl; they are then well supplied
with the kernels of cocoa~nuts and
set to work to masticate them; each
mouthful, when we'll chewed up, is
spit out into the bowl until sufii.
cient quantity is accumulated. Then
the boys are dismissed, water is
poured upon the masticated nut, the
mass thoroughly stirred up, and,
after being allowed to settle again,
the elders assemble and for the next
few hours enjoy themselves to the
full of their bent.
Now for the shells Of the cocoa.
nut; these are converted into beads,
drinking vessels, ladies, sugar basins.
and measures. They also afford
fuel, and when burned to charcoal
and mixed with lime, form a color.
ing matter for the walls of houses.
The husk or fbrous perlcarp OF
the nut, called coir (frOn the Latin
word corium-the skim, is employed
in various ways, as cordage, it is,
perhaps, most useful, and certainly
the best material yet known for Ca
bles, because of its great elasticity
and strength. Until chain cables
were introduced coir cables were uni.
versally used by all ships sailing in
Indian waters,
Coir Is prepared by soaking the
fibre in water for several months,
and then beating it upon stone
with very heavy weight; the fibres
are then twisted into yarn, tron
which cordage OF all sizeS ID menus
tactursd. The natives sew together
with Oolr yarns the planks which
eoMpose their boats. The ropes
which anchor them and the sails
which give them the power OF mo-
ton are made of the same material;
nor does tEis, like hemp cordage
need to be taFTed, as the sea water,
ever friendly 10 the cocoa-palm, im'
proves, rather than Injuries the coli
fibre.