The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-02-07

welfare in fact, it is said, no magnet IL
truer to the pole than is the root of the
cocoanut tree to the ocean, for when the
root breaks through the husk It points
directly toward the sea. no matter in what
position the nut is placed in the ground.
THE GROWING TREE.
Boring its way downward the root fastens
itself so deep and firmly in the ground that
no tornado, no matter how severe, has ever
been known TO wrench il from its moor
ings, but the hurricane, so frequent in the
tropics, will often twist the trunks and
carry the broken portions a long distance,
thus ending that cocoanut palm, as il will
not sprout a second time. Could you eX-
anime a cocoanut when in the process Of
sprouting you will find directly beneath
the sprouting eye a small white mushroom
shaped kernel, and in this little germ lies
the life of the future tree. Shut up in its
prison like shell, and the shell surrounded
by many inches thick Oftough and tangled
fiber. how is il to work its way ont and
perform the duty assigned to it? For it il
apparently soft and tender as babys
hand.
soon its tiny fingers begin boring their
way out OF the weakest eye, then, rending
the tough woody fiber night and left, it
forces itself 10 the surface and commences
the campaign of life. sending its shoot up
ward TO form the tree and downward 10
form the roots. still clinging 10 its parent
for support, until the entire inside Of the
shell Is filled with a round, ball like sub
stance that is formed by the cohSealed
milk Of the cocoanut. From il the roots
fast forming receive their staff OF life until
the mother coke becomes exhausted and,
having fulfilled her mission. Is deserted or
her offspring and left dead and useless
mass Of fiber.
On grows the tree. sending deep into the
ground its roots and high into the air its
trunk until sitter 4 lapse Of from FIVE 10
eight years it has attained a height OF
from forty to sixty feet. and then pays trib-
ute TO mother earth by bearing its first
fruit. and under favorable circumstances
continuing to yield for more than half a
century. giving It's owner from 100 70 20
marketable nuts a year.
A NATURAL FILTER
Through the center OF the trunk OF the
cocoanur tree i a soft, hbrous heart which
furnishes the life OF the tree and acts as d
great pump in forcing TO the nuts the i'm
merse quantity OF water required 70 i'll
them This hbrOus heart has q wonderful
flJering power, FOR no matter in what 10
cation the tree may Re growing, either
upon the beach or in the malariAl swsmps
near the pNols OF staCnsnt water. when
nature has done her work she deposits in
the cocoanut a sparkling liquid a. clear as
crystal and As cool a. If drawn from the
deepest well in our northern yards. Hsv-
ing no particular season for frUiting, but
bearing ali the year round. blossoms. ripe
and green fruit may be found On the same
tree.
The blossom OF the cocoanur Is s. most
beautiful and peculiar WORK Of natures
art Appearing az the bsse OF the long
ragged leaves i geurd ike sheath. green
IN color and standing erect until Its own
weight causes / 20 bend downward. where
L hangs unit. the stems il incloses. which
are % bear and sustain the nuts. are sufii-
GENTLY uaztUred 70 proceed OF their Jour