Telegram-herald., 1890-05-18
SAP OF THE PALM.
An ExhAarar1nx Beverage Used In
Many Countries
The roGdy ot the LAT IEs<,A--ss shs ana
o~n 4Nd the south Aaasraoz.A-It Coxa-
banss the f1ss0s @ad sp~F<txx
1o&litios II CEaEsp-sss

Most trees q the palm tribe con tain =
SAP which u rarh IN SsoohErane matter,
and Il Is from this sweet ruAoe thai palm
"toas Us prepared At least Two
methods OF obtaining thas sap sYPear
% be generally employed. says Ohsrnb-
ers Journal fn the isAsods Of ths Pa
ctac tie spasbe q no~ersag hest Of the
palm tree Is bound up ughry vita >na-
nit and is then cut The say eXades
from the wound. and is caught in 9 oooo.-
nat shell suspended undsrDesth. When
the juice oesses "a drop, another pseoe
Is cut of the spSthe, fresh q~sntity of
sap Is obtsiBed, and rhe process he re-
peaSed until the spAthe " entirely re-
moved. Soon, however, = new Towering
head Is formed ABOVE The old one. and
this, when sufficiently grown, IS treated
in exactly the same manner.
On the west coast OF Africa the sap is
obtained by making an lncislon Jsst D.
low the crown OF leaves with which
palm tree is surmounted. The incision
slopes upwards and inSArds, and the
Juice which eIudes IS conducted by
small piece of bamboo into gourd or
vessel placed underneath the wound
TIE sugar which the sap contains Is
exactly the same kind a. Is yielded by
the sugAr-cane. In some countries,
therefore, the palm juice Is boiled down
after proper treatment, and furnishes a
sugar which, when refined, can not be
distinguished fron the best produce of
NJ IL l.
tries the sap Is allowed 20 fermest
spontaneously-a change which ocours
very quickly in hctcoun txies-the sugar
is thereby converted into alcohol, and
the liquid acquires intoxicating proper
ties.
AS might be expected, the juice Of tho
palm-tree varies both IN quality and
quantity with the species Of palm from
which IL is extracted The place OF
growth also appears - exert oonside Ct
able influence upon the readiness with
which the sap fermeneS Hence II Is
that different varieties Of palms are en-
ployed in different parts OF the world
for the preparation OF wine or toddy.
On the Western coast OF Africa for ex-
ample, the beverage is obtained from
the oil-pahns, species which are said
TO WELD wine Of the best Qoality. The
tree is tapped IN the evening; and In the
morning the gourd which receives tho
sap Is found flied with liquid some-
what resembling the milk Of COCOA
nut, but richer and sweeter. The juice
soon ferments and becomes intoxicating.
but the percentage of alcohol which 10
contains is comparatively small.
In the fertile oasos with which the
Sahara and the other deserts OF North
ern Africa are dotted, large groves Of
date-palms are to be seen, from which
the Arabs and other wandering tribes
of the desert obtain an Intoxicating bev
ersge which they call lGg1a. When
drank Immediately the sap of this palm
resembles rich milk; but when allowed
30 stand for a time il ferments and ao-
ouires the flavor and sparkling qualities
OF champagre
The use OF wine is strictly prohibited
by tho Koran, but the intoxicated
Mohammedan excuses his apparent dis
regard Of the injunctions OF the Prophet
by saying: T4sgmi is not wine, and the
prohibition of the Koran refers 10 wine"
The same species of palm-tree is very
abundant in the hilly Indian province
OF Bahar. Here the annual tapping for
toddy is made on alternate sides OF the
tree, ard in this way the trunks become
curiously distorted, growing upwards in
a Eigzag dir ction. In other parts Of
India the beautiful fan-palm and the
todd y-palm are the varieties chiefly en-
ployed in the manufacture Of the wine.
The toddy- palm viii frequently yield
more than one hundred piuts ot sap in
the course OF twenty-four hours
In Ceylon, whole forests OF the cocoa
palm are set apart for the preparations
OF fermented liquor; while IN tho islands
Of the Indian Archipel ago, the Moluccas
and the Philippines, u is the sap OF the
gornmutti-palm which is allowed 70 fer
ment and furnish an exhilarahng bev-
orsCe known ss acrG The natives of
tho beautiful islands Of tho Pacific OBJ
tain their toddy or kGvac0 by wounding
tho Towering head Of the coooanut tree.
and each tree Yields from two 70 sir
pints Of liquid in twenty-four hours
When drank Immediately. ~ closely re-
sembles the milk Of the young cocoa
nut. but when allowed 20 stand for
few hours, il ferTnents, acquires intox-
Saang properties, and becomes acid.
Nearly everyvhere IN Africa and In
many parts OF Asia the fermentcd sap IS
subjected 20 disullation, and thus yields
strong brandy or spirit. which. like
psir1-wine fteelf. has received difpront
names according ~ tho district ia which
it Is Produced. or tho variety ~ palm
from which the wine las been procured