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  Elementary 
  Species 
  

  

  others 
  show 
  a 
  large 
  number 
  of 
  forms 
  clearly 
  

   separated 
  to 
  a 
  greater 
  or 
  lesser 
  degree. 
  

  

  In 
  some 
  few 
  instances 
  it 
  is 
  obvious 
  that 
  this 
  

   variability 
  is 
  of 
  later 
  date 
  than 
  culture. 
  The 
  

   most 
  conspicuous 
  case 
  is 
  that 
  of 
  the 
  coconut. 
  

   This 
  valuable 
  palm 
  is 
  found 
  on 
  nearly 
  all 
  tropi- 
  

   cal 
  coasts, 
  in 
  America, 
  as 
  well 
  as 
  in 
  Asia, 
  but 
  in 
  

   Africa 
  and 
  Australia 
  there 
  are 
  many 
  hun- 
  

   dreds 
  of 
  miles 
  of 
  shore 
  line, 
  where 
  it 
  is 
  not 
  

   found. 
  Its 
  importance 
  is 
  not 
  at 
  all 
  the 
  same 
  

   everywhere. 
  On 
  the 
  shores 
  and 
  islands 
  of 
  the 
  

   Indian 
  Ocean 
  and 
  the 
  Malay 
  Archipelago, 
  man 
  

   is 
  chiefly 
  dependent 
  upon 
  it, 
  but 
  in 
  America 
  it 
  is 
  

   only 
  of 
  subordinate 
  usefulness. 
  

  

  In 
  connection 
  with 
  these 
  facts, 
  it 
  abounds 
  in 
  

   subspecies 
  and 
  varieties 
  in 
  the 
  East 
  Indian 
  re- 
  

   gions, 
  but 
  on 
  the 
  continent 
  of 
  America 
  little 
  at- 
  

   tention 
  has 
  as 
  yet 
  been 
  given 
  to 
  its 
  diverging 
  

   qualities. 
  In 
  the 
  Malayan 
  region 
  it 
  affords 
  near- 
  

   ly 
  all 
  that 
  is 
  required 
  by 
  the 
  inhabitants. 
  The 
  

   value 
  of 
  its 
  fruit 
  as 
  food, 
  and 
  the 
  delicious 
  

   beverage 
  which 
  it 
  yields, 
  are 
  well 
  known. 
  

   The 
  fibrous 
  rind 
  is 
  not 
  less 
  useful; 
  it 
  is 
  

   manufactured 
  into 
  a 
  kind 
  of 
  cordage, 
  mats 
  

   and 
  floor-cloths. 
  An 
  excellent 
  oil 
  is 
  obtained 
  

   from 
  the 
  kernel 
  by 
  compression. 
  The 
  hard 
  

   covering 
  of 
  the 
  stem 
  is 
  converted 
  into 
  drums 
  

   and 
  used 
  in 
  the 
  construction 
  of 
  huts 
  ; 
  the 
  lower 
  

   part 
  is 
  so 
  hard 
  as 
  to 
  take 
  on 
  a 
  beautiful 
  polish 
  

  

  