Arizona silver belt., 1892-06-25
COC0ANUT TREES.
rHEY ARE GROWN VERY suocEe5-
 FULLY IN SOUTH FLORIDA.

TOEA-s NN SOO i.T' EGCHi|N' Although Introduced Only sixteen Year,
 Agd, tho state Could Not Now Do Very
 won without Them some of the Mnuy
 Uses the Cocoanut Is Put To.
 While the cocoanut tree abounds in South Florida it is not not native of the section nor has the fruit been culti- vated here for any great length of time About sixteen years ugo g Bahama vessel was wrecked of the coast. near Jupiter inlet. Soon after the waves be- gau bringing the cargo ashore, among which were found a large number Of cocoanuts. Residents were very few in this section at that time, but they gathered topether and appropriated whatever catse 10 them
 These coCoanuts were considered great prizes and were at once planted. The soil was found to be favorable to the growth and they thriyed wonderfully Thus was introduced the culture of the nut upon the soil of tie North American continent In Dade county, one of the sOuthernmost counties of the state which has a sea front of l50 miles, thert are now groves of great beauty contain ing from 100 to COCO trees
 Cocoanm culture is very simple. The ripe nut is plucked from the treo and, in the outer husk that surrounds it. is put under ground, lightly covered with soil, The first shoot should make its appear ance in one month after plunting. but it is often two before it comes When II is about a foot high it Is truusplapted toits permanent resting place If the nut is planted as a nursery stock tue husk is left on, as the young plant is very ten- . der, and 1t seems that growth out of the husk has tendency to make strong the reedlike joints If it be first planted l where it is t6 remain the husk is usually removed.
 i For the first year the plant reqaile { careful protection from the winds, but 1t gradually grows hardy, and at theend ! of six years begins bearing The blooms 1 make their appearances dozen or moro ] fingers. looking like grains of corn strung [ bu NlE abNAtt d A'a'h AAi iN-hsH HAhts a AAAaaA ! grains are young nuts.
 ! They ripen in years time and there. after until its death the tree is never without fruit in various stage. of ripe ness, from tiny lobe the size of a pea to ripe nuts, and there is not day in the year when the ripe nuts cannot ba secured It has bueu demonstrated in other countries that the cocoNuuJ tree will bear fruit for twenty-five year Tl what age they live has not been asceg. ained,
 The trees make most bsaut!ful and imposing grove, beius ruly tropical in their appearance. Az thcy are planted only about twenty feet apart thuy cas' 2 thick, unyaryiug shade. They ar eyer green. as is most tropical foliage aud their gracefulness. with the great height they attain, makes-them a desirable gl ditiuu 10 a home in the fur south. THy { diameter of the tree ranges from oU, foot to four, and they attain D height oI l25 feet. having as many us 4CJ EUgs ul them at one time
 The old fashioned method uf grating the nut has been superseded ly me chine for grinding and tae yaEdenta q the southern cnurt,. keep on hGad loi their use fresh supply of hone'uad, de5iCcated cocoanut from which ylIiyu. toothsolne dishes are prepared Th. product Is becoming more gentGlis known by reason Of its excellent hler and the "clo.n strong EUrous bark that grows far above the srJand and i utilized iu many ways it 'ie nsp q couOarut butter ever ht-u,GCs uoaig-l. the owner of a grove of these trees vii see his fortune ahead The butter | made from the oil of the nut, eXprcsas, by machinery
 Even the raw grated Lut is aa ezeej lent substitute for shortening ju bread the grated nut in the same qnaHtiu being srbstituted for lard Ihe coakin- process seems so destroy cutin,y tl. vegetable taste and appearance, and aia cult made with it are pronounced a good as real cream biscuit
 Shorn of its cocoanut growth, lroH cal country would certainly be s rs tractiye m appcaranse The !9lg feathsry leaves that rudulata 70 grace fully in the breeze wEiah sishs lnJa them, the everlasting green of tbeL coloring, their tall stateIine-s and thei symmetry beauuty tbe whole eg8au. where they grow-tspecjai the soajl Florida country, where they grow ]. such profusiou. St LOnis Rppabhc