The Washington herald., 1913-09-29
ECUADOR EXPORTS
MANY IVORY NUTS
About 1000 Tons, Worth 81, zoo, 900,
Are Shipped from Country
Each Year.

It has been something like fifty years,
according to the bulletin OF the Pam
American Union, since some rubber
gatherers in the forests Of Northern Ec-
uadur first told of a peculiar species Of
palm which they found in great numbers,
whose fruit was a nut resembling in form
and color the miniature head Of a negro.
These nuts they called "negritos," and
upon further investigation it was found
that the kernels, when thoroughly dried,
had the appearance and texture Of dem
tine ivory.
Sample lots of these nuts were shipped
to Europe for experimental purposes. and
although AT first they were thought to
be useless. il was soon found that they
furnished an ideal material from which
TO manufacture buttons and other small
ornamental objects, for which the more
expensive ivory had hitherto been used.
The kernel once thoroughly dried could
be sawed, carved, and turned on lathes
into all sizes and shapes Of buttons,
while the texture Of the material is such
that it readily absOrbs dyes and also
takes on a high and permanent polish.
Henceforth the ivory nut became an i'm
portant product and soon added consid-
cradle to Ecuadors export trade. About
20,00O tons are shipped from that country
each year. worth about 81, 10000
When the nuts are fully ripe they are
about the size OF small potatoes. of very
hard, white composition, very fine
grained. As climate affects the develop
ment of the tree. so considerable varia-
tion will be found in the form and COM
position of the nuts that grow under
conditions of excessive rainfall from
those that are gathered in dry climates.
As the tree grows wild and uncultivated.
the time OF bearing and life OF the tagua
palm is not definitely known. but those
best informed claim that they begin bear
ing in their sixth year. and that the
length of life is from 20 to 100 years.
The business of gathering and market
ing ivory nuts has grown up under the
system of long credits which obtains in
most of the Latin-Americau countries.
The native gatherers, known as taguaros,
are, as a general rule, of the poorer
classes They rarely accumulate money
and when under necessity of earning
some for their immediate wants they ar
range with a local merchant or exporter
for an advancement of supplies and an
outfit, with the condition that payment
shall be made in ivory nuts, or rubber
at an agreed price or at the prevailing
market price when delivered. They work
in parties of two or more.
The outfit generally includes mach
cite. an ak. gun. ammunition, pots, and
supplies Of rice. lard and beans or lentils
Game, such as partridges, hawks, squir-
rels, monkeys, jaguars, &c, afford the
meat diet. As the rivers are the high
ways for traffic the taguaros travel in
canoes, which are padded or poled up
stream. In Ecuador the largest tagua
forests on public lands are from three
to six days canoe journey from Esmer-
aldas.
During the spare time materials are
gathered for raft upon which to trans
port the fruits of their labors down the
river to the market. The raft is made
of the peeled trunks of a cork-like tree
called balsa. The logs, cut to equal
lengths, are fastened together by cross
pieces held in place by pegs, two and
two driven crossed into the logs, which
are further secured by being bound to-
gether by strong vines. The deck is
made of split bamboo