MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 139 



care is exercised to keep the containers sterile, but if alcohol 

 is desired the same bamboo tubes are repeatedly used without 

 cleaning. 



Desiccated Cocoanut. — Among the cocoanut-producing 

 countries Ceylon exports the largest amount of the manufac- 

 tured article which is in considerable demand in the confec- 

 tionery industry. In preparation only the fresh nuts are 

 used. The hard shell is removed by a hatchet or small-power 

 circular saw and the husk or fibrous exterior covering is taken 

 off by a steam-power revolving rasp. The hollow kernel is 

 then cut in half, the water or so-called milk drained off, and 

 the white meat shredded by a machine. It is necessary 

 to dry the kernel immediately after shredding to prevent it 

 becoming rancid. Sugar or starch is occasionally added to 

 assist the drying process. The method of drying is either by 

 spreading the shredded cocoanut upon iron tables heated from 

 below by steam or by placing it in trays in drying rooms 

 heated to 110° F. With either system it is necessary to agitate 

 or stir the shredded nuts frequently. After being cooled 

 gradually the cocoanut is packed in sealed lead-lined cans for 

 export. 



Copra. — Copra, the most important of the cocoanut prod- 

 ucts, is the dried meat of the mature fruit. The best copra is 

 that produced from uniformly ripe fruit which has been 

 allowed to mature upon the trees and collected upon falling to 

 the ground. However, in common practice the natives climb 

 the palms every three months to collect the nuts. To expedite 

 climbing the natives cut notches at intervals up the trunk, 

 but European planters will not permit this practice because 

 the wounds leave the trees open to disease and ultimately 

 a large number of palms are destroyed. The up-to-date method 

 of collection is by the use of a rope or strap fastened around 

 the hips of the collector and around the tree. The natives 

 soon become expert in climbing by this method, especially 

 when scaling the older trees which grow in a leaning position. 

 The old story of harvesting the nuts by the use of monkeys 

 is not altogether a myth, for in the Sunda Islands and in 

 Sarawak the animals are trained for this operation and are 

 even exported from Sarawak to the Straits Settlements. 



The high value of copra is due to the oil it contains, one 

 cocoanut of average size, with up-to-date methods of extrac- 

 tion, yielding 5y 2 ounces of oil and 3 ounces of dried oil meal. 

 Methods of extracting the oil differ with the individual and the 



