COOK—THE COCONUT PALM IN AMERICA. 311 
The smooth green trunk has a diameter of 2 or 3 inches. The un- 
opened inflorescences are about the size of a large ear of corn and 
are inclosed in green spathes somewhat similar to corn husks. 
DOMESTICATION OF PALMETTOS IN MEXICO. 
One of the native arts that flourishes in many localities in tropical 
America is the weaving of hats from the fibrous leaves of various 
species of fan-leaved palms related to the Florida palmetto. These 
are not the same as the so-called Panama hats made in South Americ: 
from the leaves of Carludovica, which is not a true palm. Large 
numbers of the palmetto hats for local use are made in Guatemala and 
Mexico, though the most advanced state of the palmetto hat industry 
is found in Porto Rico, whence large quantities have been exported 
to the United States during the last decade. 
The Porto Rican hat palmetto, [nodes causiarum, does not appear 
to be regularly cultivated, though it is valued and allowed to grow 
in many places for the sake of the leaves. The largest quantity of 
these palms is found along the seabeach at a place called Joyua, on the 
west end of the island between Mayaguez and Cabo Rojo, 
Palmettos grow wild in great abundance along the Pacific coast 
of Guatemala and the adjacent district of Soconusco in the Mexican 
State of Chiapas, and their leaves are gathered in large quantities for 
the thatching of houses and the weaving of hats. The hats them- 
selves and the straw, or ‘‘paja,”’ prepared for weaving are important 
articles of domestic commerce, carried about on the backs of the 
Indians and sold in all the native markets. To secure additional 
supplies of the material the palms are also commonly planted about 
the native towns, sometimes in considerable numbers. Even on the 
east side of Guatemala in distriets where there do not appear to be 
any native palmettoes, the Indians have planted many of them in 
their villages, as at Cajabon and San Augustin, near El Rancho, and 
at other places. In southern Mexico the planting of palmettos is 
carried still further, thousands of these palms being found in the 
larger towns of the Soconusco district. Regular field plantings of 
palmettos were seen about Comitan in southwestern Chiapas and 
again near Merida in Yucatan. Palmettos are also grown exten- 
sively at San Bartolomé, Chiapas, as reported by Mr. G. N. Collins, 
though no field plantings were noticed. 
PARTIALLY DOMESTICATED PALMS. 
In addition to the palms that may be said to have been definitely 
domesticated in the American tropics, there are several others that 
may be described as partially domesticated. Though seldom actually 
planted or cared for, they are on a distinctly friendly footing with 
51004°—vou 14, pr 2—10——4 
