The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-11-17
THE GIANT COCOANUT PALM.
IT'S GROWTH AND ITS Use TO THE
HUMAN RACE.
Sometimes II Grows 10 "A Hight OF I2O
Feet-RegaFdcd as sncred by some
of The East ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

From the san Francisco Chronicle.
Those who have never seen a long.
straggling grove Of cocoanut trees by the
seashore. with their feet buried in the
cleaning sands and their heads held aloft
in the azure Of a tropical sky. can form
but little idea Of the picturesqueness of
these interesting palms. Though faceti-
ously described by Mark Twain as "si-
ganuc feather busters. struck by light
ning, they are. nevertheless. prices Of
the vegetable world. and sometimes at
tain the hight of 10 feet. with stems Two
feet in diameter Many of the tallsst
specimens, however are blown by the
wind 20 such abrupt angles that their all
titude is materially diminished. The
trunks being formed by the annual fail
ing of the leaves. il is possible to tell the
age Of the tree 10y counting the circular
scars on the bark. Though also hOurinsh-
Ing in interior localities on coral islands,
they are especially vigorous when within
reach of the salty spray of the ocean;
and the nuts, falling upon the restless
waves. are carried to distant shores to
Veeetate.
Some Of these trees have been cultivated
in Mexico and Southern California but
bear little resemblance. either in size or
beauty, TO those in their native habitat.
put 10y the dusky children of the sun,
that the East Indians consider them
sacred The long slender trunks are
followed out for canoes. cradles, or cOf-
ms, or are split up into timber for house
building, furniture, and nrewOOd, masts
ana oars for vessels. and planks and fish
ing poles The yellow leaves are ar
ranged IN a circle of never more than
twelve at once. and resemble the fronds
OF a mammoth fern. some of the longest
measuring nearly twenty feet. They are
utilized ina matching huts or lining fences
IN manufacturing fans, hats and baskets
m weaving platters for food, and are
also collected for fodder for elephants
or camels. The latest. or middle sprout
Is known as the cabbage" and is con-
sluefSd great delicacy; though, as the
ltet ales When IL rs severed, ii is partaken
OF only on especially grand occasions.
me nuts grow IN lunches of q dozen or
more each at base of the leaves near the
trunk, and are from a foot 10 a foot and a
haiI IN length, and about six or eight inch
es an diameter Securely hidden Ina their
haIq' Woodeny covering, they no more re-
sembie the ordinary cOcoanut OF COM
lefee IMAM the chestnut is suggested By
lts pricklN burr. Sound nuts produce one
Two, or even three sprouts Zone for each
eye J. which are sold to planters for 4
small sum. Savage tribes constantly use
cocoanuts for barter, on account of Their
intrinsic value. Just at maturity the soft
White shell contains clear, sweet fluid
which, being slightly acid in flavor. ana
ever Kept cool i'm its thick, moist casing.
Is as refreshing to the dwerler under n
tolfld sun as would be a glass of iced lem
onade. After awhile the LIQUID on the
sides nearest the shell thickens into q
sort OF cream or thin custard, which NAV
be eaten out of the broken bowl with a
spoon, and which is highly nutritious az
well as agreeable.
The thickening process now extends 10
the interior OF the cOcoanut, while the
milk becomes thinner and diminishes
IN quantity. Grated and fermented. the
hardened portion is used as an appetizer
with meats, like horse-radish. or may he
manufactured into a sort of cheese When
me kernel IS thoroughly hard and dry the
nuts are ready for expectation and are
as we find them in the markets minus
the outer husk. Under pressure the fresh
~ grated meat yields thin cream, which
residents OF hot countries sometimes util-
ize in coffee or I'm the preparation of mud
dlngs and sauces. The uses to which des-
SEATED cocoanut are put by housekeepers
comment.
Even when in a state Of termination.
TINS invaluable nut forms an article of
diet. AZ this stage 1t becomes completely
hlled with sweet spongy mass, which
may be eaten raw, but which is most pal-
atable II baked whole in the shell, like
potato IN It's jacket. Each nut Is said
TO be equal In nourishment TO three ounces
of rice Most domestic animals, including
chickens, are, exceedingly fond of green
cocoanut, and young pigs are often fat
tened upon them for native feasts.
what Is known as "copra" is the
ripened kernel broken into pieces and
dried IN the sun, thousands of tons being
annually sent to Europe and America
for the manufacture Of cocoanut oil
This is obtained by pressing in a mill the
solid portion being used in making stear-
inc candles or soap, which will latlfer in
salt water. Natives Of the tropics are
accustomed TO rubbing the muscles OF the
body with this oil to make them supple,
or TO better enable their system to under
go the heat.
Cocoa, the beverage IS not obtained
from the cocoanut tree but from the
beans Of the West Indian cocoanut of
which chocolate is also a preparation.
The coarse brown fiber on the lining of
the inner she'll is put to endless uses The
huge COR ropes and cables, used by
sailors at sea, are derived from this
source, and are Indispensable from the
fact that instead of rotting, they only be-
come stronger and more durable in sea
water. sails, for canoes mating for
noors, thread for sewing, rugs, mats,
ish lines, clothing, nets, brushes, brooms
and cordage are all manufactured from
this material which may also be used in
stufiing pillows and mattresses.
The shells serve as cup and bowls are
often beautifully carved and polished, the
oldest specimens being of "A deeD mahog-
any in color. Hindoo monarchs formerly
used them as drinking vessels, as they
We're supposed to crack if they contained
any poisonous substance.
The small white flowers are inelosed In
a tough sheath or spathe about a yard In
length, which when fully grown bursts
open on the under side, displaying a
beautiful branching cluster as large as
a sheaf of wheat. Being very infam,
mable these spathes are often dried and
used as torches. or burned for fuel When
in a soft, undeveloped stage they are
frequently tapped for "toddy" or palm
wine, which, when boiled forms sugar or
molasses, or upon fermentation becomes
vinegar, which in its turn is distilled into
a sort Of brandy called "arrack" The
sweet juice as it drips into the "toddy
pot is often stolen by mischieVous mon
keys, which also consume large quanti-
ties of the fruit.
Natives scramble up the long branch
less stems with the agility of squirrels
Fastening a stout rope or belt around their
ankles and the trunk and another looser
one under the shoulders, they clasp their
hands high over their heads around the
tree, and make the ascent rapidly in a Sc
ries of leaps. When within reach of the
nuts they lean back upon the upper belt
and throw down the desired specimens
after which they descend by sliding
The arch enemy of these palms on the
shores of most of the cocoanut Islands of
the Pacific and Indian oceans is what
is known as the ''robber crab" a singular
crustacean which sometimes reaches the
length of nearly four feet, though the av-
erage measurement is tWenty-three inches
from the point of the front claw to the
end of the abdomen. The grip Of their pow
erful pinchers is said to be sufficient to
break the arm Of a strong man; and It
has been asserted that these fierce crea-
lures occasionally carry off and devour
very young, helpless children, though one