New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-09-22
FRUITS OF PORTO RICO.
INFINITE USES A COCOANUT PALM is
PUT TO BY NATIVES.
ORANGES LEMONS AND PINEAPPLEs GROW WITH
LITTLE OR NO CULTIvATIoN-B BANANAS
T-sFD AS A FOOD

"A drink OF cocoanut water In the early morn
Irr from Tive cocoanut" says a woman recently
returned from Porto Rico. is drink 1T for the
gods II IS then cool and sparkling. with flavor
tina, IS pleasant and slightly sweet
The hard white substance inside the shells
which We know as Cocoanut is never In the
fruits native country on the contrary. there IS
only thin celatinous coating. which may he
s-raped of with spoon The milk as We call it,
ls only milky as result Of the fruit being picked
before Il = ripe and travelling hundreds Of miles
IN rs natural state this liquid clear spring
water While still alive they express II on
the island the shell is soft and easily cut with a
knife.
1T Il said that cocoanut palm bears a nut for
every day in the year. However that may be, 1t
Is certain that the occupant Of a Tundra cabin can
supply almost every daily need from the spreading
tree which shelters his little home from the tropi-
eel sun and storms The new leaves are cooked
and used as a food and the larger ones are pleated
and enp,oyca for the sides Of huts. They are also
used for fans fences thatch. bedding fish nets,
hats and combs. are burned by the wash
women for potash. The flowers contain powerful
sstr!nFent. which Is used incidentally IN some parts
of the world
prom tho sap delicious drink IS derived. which
when fermented is also used yeast and later
as vinegar The tough fbres from the husks are
,,rinned of soaked for several weeks in water and
woven into cocoanut baskets. which used in
rathering the FRUIT and into mats and ropes The
shells are utlizel for water vessels and scrubbing
brushes The wood from the tree not only supplies
fuel but IS the well known porcupine wood used
IN buildings and furniture. The water is used in
cooking and in making plaster.
ITO Plant cocoanut tree, nut is laid on the
ground ard before long sprouts are sent up from
the eyes and roots shoot down from the base into
the earth When the sprout has grown three or
four feet high the nut is broken from the roots and
the nut and eprCut planted about eight inches
deep ir the earth. Trees begin 20 bear when they
are nNe wears old. The trees bear fruit all the year
and each nut is projected IN thick. green, bagnke
husk There are large cOc0anut groves along the
western coast Of Porto Rico. and smaller ones on all
tldas ~ the island.
The best pineappes In the world. II Is said, are
found IN Porto Rico. those weighing twenty pounds
each not being unusual pineapple field looks Ike
q cabbage field The foliage r. Of a salmon coior
mixed with green. This trut grows N the loot
hlls and valle,s with little no cultivation.
Porto Rico and the destruction Of that crop caused
much Of the present distress there. II is the only
cror OF ;he Porto R'cans the destruction OF which
could cause q famine. They are eaten ny portion
a the population 10 place OF bread and are eaten
raw or cooked. The fat, round sfomachs OF Porto
Rico ha oies arc often caused by an overdlet or
the fruit and the term banana stomach IS
familiar one.
Oranges grow back from the coast on the noun
tain foothills and they and lemons as well as pine
apes grow almost wild Several varieties grow
in Porto Rico. and all have sprung from seeds
which have been dropped