THE COCONUT PALM
TROPIC WONDER TREE
WIDE VARIETY OF USES
The Australian housewife, who spri kies desiccated coconut over the surface of some supper dainty, probably is unconscious of the fact that she is repeating in a civilised land the customs of the denizens of a tropical forest, to whom the coconut is more the foundation of existence than the mere means of tickling a fastidious palate, and where every part of the tree, from root to crown, has its own special uses in the lives of both individual and community, writes E. J. Ashbourne in the "Adelaide Chronicle." ■' ■ , Providence, generous and often prolific in the bestowal of gifts, has been exceptionally so in providing for the welfare of primitive peoples, and, in the provision of the coconut palm for those .residing within the equatorial forest belt, has made available an article whose uses are legion. The coconut palm is a very beautiful and lofty palm tree, growing to a height of from sixty to a hundred feet, with a cylindrical stem which, at the base, attains a thickness of about two feet, and terminates at the top in a crown of graceful, waving, pinnate leaves. The leaf, which may not infrequently exceed 20 feet in length, consists of a strong mid-rib fringed with numerous leaflets up to four feet long, the whole having the. appearance of a gigantic feather. " .;'••. IN A BATH OF FLUID. The fruit, often larger than a man's head, matures in bunches of from 10 to 20, though not all at the one time. The kernel, clinging tightly to the inside of a hard, woody shell, is.''kept moist inside by a. bath of fluid, commonly called coconut milk, and protected from possible damage from outside by a thick, fibrous husk, which, when duly prepared, provides the coir of commerce. The uses to which the various parts of this palm are applied in the r» gions of its growth are alm&st endless. The nuts, before they have hardened into full maturity, provide no inconsiderable portion of the food of the natives, who generally eat their coconut raw, although on occasion it will be shredded and cooked as a sauce,to garnish bananas, yams, taro, or fish. Mixed with native tapioca root, the expressed juices and oils make a kind of pudding much enjoyed by those who compound it, although it is too insipid for European tastes. The milk of the young nuts —it bears no resemblance to milk, really, having more the appearance of lemonade — forms a refreshing, cool, and palatable drink. The juice, drawn from the unexpanded flower spathes, is brewed into "toddy," and, if allowed to ferment, becomes a potent spirit, known as arrack. When a tree falls, or is blown over by a hurricane, yet another edible part of the palm is available—the tight roll of tender embryonic leaves in the centre of the crown. Properly boiled, they are nutritious and similar to cabbage. The tree itself is, of course, valuable as timber, which is used for building, the manufacture of elementary furniture, and fuel; the leaves -are plaited into fans, baskets, and even sheeting for the sides of a house; the main mid-rib being resinous, makes an excellent flare for night fishing;, and the: stiff thin ribs of the leaflets, tied in bundles of a hundred or so, make an equally effective broom for sweeping. CAN PRESS CLOTHES. .The shell of the nut is variously employed by the natives as a water vessel, or, if cut. in halves, as a cup, while white women have fouird the heating properties of these shells second only to electricity, for convenience in ironing their clothes. Of the nut itself there is still much that could be said. For instance, by churning the milk of a nut at the right stage of maturity, a fair substitute for cream (in appearance only, although the flavour is quite pleasant) can be obtained, and the milk of a nut at yet another stage will cause dough to rise as readily as yeast. The external husk yields the coir fibre with which are fabricated ropes, cordage, matting, and other similar articles necessary to native existence. For commercial purposes, however, it is the contained oil of the nut that is of principal importance, and for the production of this alone' many thousands of plantations, owned and controlled by Europeans, have been established throughout the entire tropical belt. As coconuts thrive best near the sea, the small islands in the New Guinea groups have been found especially suitable. Here the ripe kernels, brobkeri into small pieces, are dried, either in the sun, or in a kiln, to form copra which is exported to various parts of the world. The oil content is great, it being estimated that a thousand nuts will yield twenty-five gallons of oil which, after treatment, is used in the manufacture of candles, shampoos, and marine soap, the last of which can he induced to lather in salt water. Coconut coir is also extensively used in civilised lands for mattings and carpets, while a not inconsiderable number of nuts is used each year for the manufacture of desiccated coconut and sweets. WIDELY DISTRIBUTED. The palm is so widely distributed throughout tropical oceans that its original habitat is unknown, but the natives of New Britain have an interesting story, to account for its presence there. It goes- something like this — One day To 8010, a famous fisherman, and the son of la Vudu (translated, 8010 means wave, and Vudu, banana) was but fishing when he was attacked by a shark of tremendous proportions. To 8010 was frightened, and, pursued by the shark, paddled shorewards for dear life, periodically throwing to the following monster one of the fish he had caught, the last disappearing into the gaping maw while he was yet far from land. Unsatisfied, the shark continued the pursuit, and, in vain effort to placate him, To'Bolo severed first one leg and then the other, each in turn being greedily devoured. One arm followed, and then the other —how this was managed is not explained—and, then unable to move, or defend himself, the remainder of To 8010 went the way of the limbs. AH except the head. This, bobbing vp and down on the waves, eventualy reached the shore, to be picked up by a weeping la Vudu, who had w~! +ched the tragic encounter.
Taking up her spade she went to the forest, and after digging a little half placed the head in it. Next morning she returned to the spot to make sure no marauding animal had interfered with To Bolo's last remains when, to her infinite surprise, she saw rising from the hole she had dug a graceful tree bearing many heads—the first coconut palm.
If anyone is inclined to doubt this story let him dehusk a coconut and he will see for himself the nose, eyes, and mouth of the unfortunate To JSolo.
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Bibliographic details
Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 89, 12 October 1938, Page 17
Word Count
1,156THE COCONUT PALM Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 89, 12 October 1938, Page 17
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