The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1882-02-08
Written for The Florida Ag-icugtu-ist
The COcOa-Nut PaIm---Its Value.
BY HELEN HARCoURT.

IIl0 COCOd-NuC Ralm---lCS value.
BY HELEN HARcoURT.
And now, having looked at this most
royal palm from what we may we'll
term the romantic point of view, let
us examine more closely into that
portion OF itsiife history which is emf
nently practical and useful to man.
Rearing their teathery crowns to a
height of from sixty to a hundred
feet, these noble trees, even before the
period of their fruit bearing arrives,
begin their career of usefulness in
shielding the palaces and huts which
are built in their midst, from the
danger of the terrific thunder storms
which are of such frequent occurrence
in their native lands.
Their tall stems arrest the fierv
destroyer, and diverting it from it's
perilous course, conduct it harmless
ly to tho ground; and thus 1t is that
accidents from lightning are of ex>
tremely rare occurrence in the vicini-
ty of these beautiful palms.
Commencing our Investigations,
as is most appropriate, at the lowers
most point, let us first make acquain-
tance with the roots of the cocoa-nut
tree.
These are not sturdy and far reach.
ing, like those OF our forest monarchs,
but are slight, Slender aud flexible,
springing singly from the bottom OF
the stem, and deeply fringed with
those wonderons little caterers, the
thread-like flores which collect the
food, and pass it on into the body OF
the traa ~sEs. 80,
And here, in the slender roots of
the cocoa-nut palm, we observe a
phenomenon which finds numerous
counterparts in human life; they are
weak and easily bruised, yet their
hold is not readily shaken, and the
more rocky the soil upon which their
lot is cast, the greater the obstacle
which they encounter. the stronger
do they become, the closer do they
cling to their anchorage ground.
DO not these humble roots afford
noble example for our guidance
And now let US see to what practi>
cal uses this the least valuable por-
tion of the tree, is applied:
Boiled with ginger, the roots be-
come an efficacious remedy in cases
OF fever, and with the addition of the
oil of the nut, the same decoction is
used as a gargle.
In Brazil, baskets are woven from
the smaller roots, and of late, the
larger ones, highly polished, have
come into use as canes and umbrella
handles.
In the East, where the habit Of
chewing the Areca-nut prevails, the
more tender roots of the cocoa are
chewed instead, whenever full sup
ply of the tavorite nut cannot be OBJ
tained.
Next in order comes the stem or
stipe. 1t STANDS erect, without
branches. ,.otten reaching to the height
of over hundred feet, and measur>
ing from one to two feet in diameter,
while along its whole length, at reg
ular intervals, are well marked paral-
lei rings, the cicatrices of fallen
leaves; by these rings the age of the
tree is readily ascertained.
Should its growth be retarded for
one or two years, as sometimes
chances in unskillfnl transplanting,
the stem expresses its disapprobation
by permanent contraction in diam
eter, SO that the trunk has often a
larger dimension at the base and sum
NIT, than at the middle.
In the interior arrangements Of
their stems, the palm bears no resem
blance to other trees, this one differ
ence sufficing to distinguish them at
once as belonging to an entirely dis
tinct family, forming in fact, the
ultra-aristocracy of the topics.
Examine the stem OF a white lily
and you will find that it is really q
series of leaves, rising one above
another, and united at their bases sc
as to form an apparent stem.