Economic Life 407 



districts, but in many villages every house has two or three trees tower- 

 ing above it. Even the interior mountain settlements, like Lingey, 

 Ba-ay, and Likuan, are hidden beneath these trees, thus incidentally 

 disposing of the fable that "the coconut tree will not grow out of sight 

 of the sea." Young trees have to be protected by fences during the 

 first two or three years of growth, or they will be uprooted by the 

 pigs, but from that time on they require little or no care. They are not 

 tapped for sap, as is customary in most parts of the Philippines, but 

 notches are cut in the tree trunks in order to supply foothold for the 

 fruit gatherer. The nuts are cut off with a knife as soon as ripe, else 

 they may fall and cause death or injury to people below. 



No other fruit serves the people in so many ways. The juice is 

 relished as a drink, the meat as a food, the oil as a food and hair dress- 

 ing; the shells serve as dishes and cups, or are carved into ladles, while 

 the fibrous covering of the nut is converted into foot wipers, thread 

 brushes, and the like. 



The betel-nut, bwa (Areca catechu L.), is also found in some vil- 

 lages, particularly in the mountains. It is a tall, slender palm which 

 yields the nut so prized throughout the Islands for chewing. 



Mango-treees, mangga {Mangifcra indica L.) appear here and 

 there in valleys and on mountain sides, where the seeds have doubtless 

 been carried by birds or travelers, but considerable groves are found 

 in many districts. The fruit is picked before it is ripe, and is eaten as it 

 becomes mellow. 



Other trees and shrubs which are occasionally planted are: Atis 

 (Anona squamosa L., an American plant) prized both for its fruit and 

 bark — the latter being used in rope-making. 



Atatawa {Jathropha multifida L.). Also found in a wild state. The 

 fruit is used as a purgative. The Jathropha curcas L. is also used. 



Daligan (Averrhoa carambola L.) or Coromandel gooseberry. The 

 fruit is eaten without cooking. 



Lanka (Artocarpus integrifolaL,.). Jackfruit. 



Maling-kapas or kapas to insit (Ceiba pantadra Gaertn.), also 

 known by the Uocano as kapas sanglay. This so-called "Chinese cot- 

 ton" is a small tree with few, but perfectly straight, branches, which 

 radiate from the trunk in horizontal lines. It produces elliptical pods 

 which burst open when ripe, exposing a silky white cotton. The fiber 

 is too short for spinning, but is used as tinder and as stuffing for 

 pillows. 



Orange (lokban) and lime (lolokisen) trees are greatly prized, but 



