The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-10-31
THE COCOA PALM.
Theory Regarding Its Relation to the
History of the Race.
Washington Times.

Washington Times.
In science nothing is too small to be i'm
portant. This is shown by a manuscript
prepared by Mr.. O. f. Cook, special agent
for tropical agriculture, and recently sub
mitted to Secretary Wilson. Mr.. Cook be-
lieves that certain facts in connection with
the cocoanut have a definite bearing upon
the history of the human race.
1t is well known that the cocoanut is in
digenous to both the Eastern and Western
hemispheres, but it is not so generally un-
derstood that while there are twenty genera
and about 200 species Of cocaceae in the two
Americas, there is but one species, the CO.
coanut, in the Old World. This seems to
indicate that the plant originated in Amer
lea and was carried 10 the other hemi-
sphere by some land route which then ex-
listed, but has now entirely disappeared.
This will recall to many people the theory
or the lost Atlantis. 1t may be that the
c%ocoanut was in some prehistoric time cul-
uVated by the people OF that continent, and
IN Its cultivated form carried to the shores
or America, Asia and Africa. But however
II happened. this bit of natural history con-
tradicts the idea that the plant sprung up
independently in the Orient and the Occi-
dent, and also goes TO prove tina some fea-
lures of civilization, at least. were carried
from America 10 Asia instead of vice versa.
some archaeological discoveries are inter
estlng In this connection. Scientific study
Is or such a nature that whatever is true
IN one branch of ii dOVetails nicely with
something that is true in another branch.
ana not 1nrrequently one hypothesis cor
rODordtes or explains another which might
seem utterly unrelated to il. II was found
not very long ago that ruins existed in
central America which are probably the
Oldest IN the world. Among the hierOglVphs
ana devices in the carvings are many en-
DIemS also found in Indian and Egyptian
work OF a similar nature. and representa-
tons or certain myths common to the old
that the builders OF the temples in which
these inscriptions are found possessed
many of the arts of civilization. and at
least the dinner of religion and litera-
ture; and ii Is surmised that they sent
missionaries or ENJOYS TO India and to
Egypt by this same mysterious overland
route by which Mr.. Cook seems 10 think
the cOcoanut palm travelled. Archaeology.
as a science, is yet in its infancy. and
botany is scarcely more advanced. The
task before both is the construction OF a
history of the world SO vast, so far-reaCh-
ing and so wonderful that the records
hitherto written Will seem like kindergarten
work in comparison. II will be the story
OF forgotten peoples. of the beginning of
man race. The records which are 10 he
studied are the routes followed by migIa-
tory birds. the habits and habitat of plants.
the rude images formed by primitive peo-
pies. Through his superior intellect man
has left his imprint on the earth at every
stage OF his evolution, and the conditions
which helped to differentiate species and
varieties of birds. animals and insects had
their influence on his development. Science
is recording. little by little. not only the
history of man. but that Of the whole
mighty course OF evolution.