The southern sentinel. (Winnfield, La.) 1883-1910, 1903-09-04
CULTIVATION OF cocoANuTs.
Neurness to Salt water -"
Essential to the Weiiae
of the Trees.

South Sea islands, it has become 50
widely diffused by the hands Oh nan
and the waves of the ocean that !"
now a prominent feature in almost
every tropical portion of the globe
covering between 100000 ana 4'ooo'
600 acres with its beautiful palms
and numbering $50, 100000 trees, yield
ing annually 10.O0o.ooo,o0o OF cocoa
nuts, says Golden Days.
For many years cocoanuts have grown
IN the coast of southern Florida. but
owing to an extreme fondness ior INC
green nuts manifested by those en-
Gagged in the sponge fishing along the
coast few nuts have been allowed 10
ripen. only sufficient to demonstrate
that cocoanuts can be raised TOT sever
al hundred miles along the coast OIL
Florida. where the Gulf stream nows
so close to the shore.
Such nuts as are wanted for plant
ing are gathered into heaps or placed
under sheds, where they are allowed
to remain until the sprout shows ltseif
through the husk When planted IN
regular order, holes three feet Deep |
and from Is to 80 feet apart. are dug. |
In each hole a nut is placed with care,
and covered with about one loot Oh
soil. The hole is filled gradually as
the sprout grows until 1t reaches the
surface. when it is left to itself, requir-
ing no further attention.
Should the place where the cocoanut
is planted be any great distance from
the seashore, a quantity OF salt Is
sometimes placed in the hole, AND
sometimes scraps of old iron. as. De-
ing strictly saltwater loving tree'
1t will thrive but short distance
from the seashore, nearness to sait
water being absolutely essential to It's
welfare. 1t is said no magnet is truer
to the pole than is the root OF the CO.
coanut tree to the ocean, for when the
root breaks through the husk 1t points
directly toward the sea. no matter In
what position the nut is placed in the
ground Boring downward, the root
fastens Itself so deeply and firmly IN
the ground that no tornado. no matter
how severe. has ever been known to
| wrench it from its mornings; 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 IT
| will not sprout second time.
Could you examine cocoanut when
in the process of sprouting. you will
| find directly beneath the sprout1ng
eve. a small white mushroom-shaped
kernel. and in this little germ lies the
life of the future tree SSut up in its
| prison-like shell, and the shell sur
rounded by many inches thick OF
tough. tangled fiber. how is 1t to work
its way out and perform the duty as
signed to it? For it is apparently as
soft and tender as a baby's hand.
Soon its tiny fingers begin boring their
way out of the weakest eye; then.
rending the tough woody fiber right
and left, it forces itself to the surface
and commences the campaign OF life.
sending its shoot upward to form the
tree and downward to form the roots,
still clinging to its parent for sup
, port. until the entire inside OF the
shell is filed with a round ball-like
. substance formed by the CONCEALED
milk of the cocoanut-
From 1t the roots fast forming re-
ceive their staff of life until the
mother cocoanut becomes exhausted
and, having fulfilled her mission. Il
deserted by her offspring and left
dead and useless mass Of fiber.
On grows the tree, sending deep in
, to the ground its roots and high init
. the air its trunk. until after laps
of from five to eight years it has at
tanned a height Of from 40 to 60 feet
> and then pays tribute to mother eartl
q by bearing its first fruit, and under ia
. | yorable circumstances, continuing t
: Weld more than half century. givin!
: its owner from 100 to 200 marketahl
q nuts year.
. Through the center Of the trunk o
/ the cocoanut tree is a soft. fibrou
4 heart, which furnishes the life Of tn
' tree and acts as pump in forcing t
= the nuts the immense quantity Q
4 water required to I'LL them.
This fibrous haart has a wonderfr
q altering power. for no matter In wha
location the tree may be CROWN.
n either upon the beach or in malaris
. swamps near pools of stagnant waite
q when nature has done her work sh
y deposits in the cocoanut sparklin
LIQUID as clear as crystal and as COZ
!. as il drawn from the deepest vel
q Having no particular season for frui
= ing, but bearing all the year aroun'
n blossoms. ripe and green fruit may
found on the same tree.
- The blossom Of the cocoanut is
= beautiful and peculiar work Of nj
- lures art. Appearing at the base
7. the long, ragged leaves 1t is q gour'
- like sheath. green in color. and stan
- ing erect until its own weight causes
!, to bend downward. where 1t ham
until the stems 1t incloses. which a
- to bear and sustain the nuts. are sui
GENTLY matured to proceed on the
- journey without protection. VIII
- this outer covering splits open It 7
= yeals a cluster Of ragged stems. up,
:, each of which will be found miniatu