Jan. J, i-S8'7.] f HE TROPfCAL Aai^lCOLTURiSf 



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"What would seem to be needed are analyses of 

 Cochiu and Ceylon Oils ; and if a material difference 

 is established, it would be well to secure analyses of 

 the Ooppeiah produced in the two countries, and 

 also of the soils in which Coconuts are grown. Are 

 the higher prices paid for Kalpitiya and Marawila 

 Copperah due merely to the stuff being better dried 

 — sun-dried not smoke-dried — or to the nuts being 

 maturer, resulting in a thicker kernel more rich in 

 Oil, or to the soil yielding nuts richer in Oil? A 

 comparative analysis of local soils too would be usefu 1; 

 but a visit to Cochin Mills and plantations by a 

 competent observer would seem to be absolutely 

 necessary. It is worthy of note, as indicating that 

 the difference in price cannot be wholly due to 

 quality, that Ceylon Oil for India fetches higher 

 prices than for London. Can it be that our Oil is 

 used for mixing, or that it finds its way into Cochin 

 packages ? The subject is one that should be fully 

 investigated. 



A Merchant who may be considered an 

 authority on this subject writes ■. — " The Ceylon 

 white Oil is a new departure, and not fully introduced 

 yet in Europe, prejudice being against it, as well as 

 the fact 'that the progress made in manufacture is 

 not sufficient to produce an even sample. No doubt, 

 in course of time, experience will teach us to over- 

 come that difficulty, and then our white Oil will have 

 a better chance of approaching Cochiu ' in price. 

 Cochin Oil is mostly used for the manufacture of 

 vhiie soap. Our white Oil has still a yellowish tinge, 

 and is therefore not quite suitable for white soap; 

 and soap-manufacturers Pay that if they have to colour 

 the soap, the ordinary Ceylon Oil is quite good 

 enough for the purpose. The difference in price 

 between Oeylon and C'ochin Oil is so great (£11) 

 only in London, not on the Continent, and Cochin 

 Oil can be bought cost freight in any Continental 

 market considerably below £37-10. There are additional 

 reasons, quite apart from quality, why Cochin is kept 

 so high in London. I have also reason to believe 

 that, the moist climate of Ceylon affects the chemical 

 composition of Oil, and that white Cochin (not 

 Monsoon-Oil) contains more steariue, than Ceylon." 

 It will be seen from the foregoing, that our inform- 

 ation is correct about Cochin Oil, being richer in 

 stearine, but is the cause suggested for Ceylon having 

 less stearine the true and only one ? The quality 

 alone too, as surmised by us, does not account for 

 the difference in price. As a matter of fact, Ceylon 

 parcels of good quality have sold beyond the price 

 quoted, while Cochin could always be had under its 

 published price. Is not the difficulty in securing 

 samples of Oil of even whiteness due to Copperah 

 being smoke-dried ? — Local " Examiner." 



THE WILD DATE IN SOUTHERN INDIA. 



Eead Letter from J. S. Gamble, Esq., Conservator 

 of Forests, Northern Circle, to the Secretary to the 

 Board of Revenue, dated Madras, 29th September 

 188(3. 



In continuation of paragraph 2 of Mr. Feet's letter, 

 dated 16th February 1886, No. 2,156, I have the honor to 

 submit, for the information of the Board of Revenue, 

 the following extracts from the reports received from 

 Collectors in this circle regarding the growth, distri- 

 bution and habitat of the wild Aa,te {Phmiix si/lvestris) 

 as I find that some interesting information has been 

 coliested. The Collector of Gaiijaiii reports that the 

 wild date is abundant in Chicacole, less so in Ber- 

 hampore, and comparatively rare in Goomsur. He 

 says further that it is often found along roadsides, 

 but more frequently alorg stret. ^s where the bed is 

 Bandy. It also afftcts "kunkar'' ■'ils. The tree is 

 tapped for toddy and the fruit is --ten and can 

 occasionally be purchased in the baisaar. The Collec- 

 ter of Vizagapatam reports that it is common in the coast 

 taluks of the district, and especially so in Sarvasid- 

 dhi. Everywhere it is tapped for toddy, and the 

 fruit is regularly eaten and is taken to the bazaars 

 to exchange for grain. The imformatiou from 

 Qodavari is very slight ; from Kistna, the Collector 



reports that the tree is found throughout the district 

 and best on sandy soil. He says the fruit is not 

 regularly used, but the poorer people sometimes eat 

 both the fresh, ripe fruits and cooked unripe ones. 

 When used for toddy the pot is coated with chunam 

 inside if sugar is being made, if not it ferments 

 The "cabbage," i.e., the tender young leaves inside 

 the crown of the tree, is sometimes eaten. The 

 Collector of Nellore write as follows: — "The date is 

 common all over the Nellore district, growing chiefly 

 on the banks of streams and nalas and in depressions 

 where water stands after heavy rain. The soils which 

 seem to suit it best are sandy loams and sand. It is a 

 common weed in all the mango topes, quite spoiling 

 them for camping purposes. It also comes up under 

 the shade of all other trees, except tamarind, where 

 they grow on fairly good soil. The frnit is not used 

 for food, but it ig sometimes collected and sold to chil- 

 dren for an equal measure of grain. But it is not a 

 regular article of food, being generally allowed to fall 

 unpicked. The tree has no value except for toddy 

 and for the good fibre obtained from its leaf stalks." 

 In the Ceded districts the wild date mostly occurs in 

 swampy places where the soil contains either salt- 

 earth or "kunkar." A characteristic locality may be 

 seen close to the old Guntakal .station on the Madras 

 Eailway. The Collector of Cuddajialk reports that it 

 is found in all taulks to some extent usually in groups 

 of 200 to 500 trees. He adds that the yield of toddy 

 is better in damp localities ; but that from trees in 

 dry places is more intoxicating. The fruits are eaten 

 and the seed is sometimes chewed like arecanut. 



The Collector of Kurnool also states that it is found 

 all over the district and especially in Nandikotkur 

 taluk. The Conservator has seen it in abundance in 

 salt-earth swampy places in Ramallakot. The Collector 

 also remarks that it is eaten, but has very little pulp. 

 From Bellavii the Collector sends some interesting 

 remarks which are reproduced as follows : — He says 

 that there are about 19,000 acres covered with it in 

 the district, but chiefly in Adoni taulk : — 



" The plant appears to be distributed throughout 

 the district and is found growing principally in the 

 vicinity of vankas (hill streams) in sandy soil impreg- 

 nated with salts. The plant also grows on regada 

 (black cotton) soil, but not so well as on the sandy 

 soil called ' mussabu.' The fruit is eaten, but not as 

 a regular article of diet. In the Bellary taulk the 

 plant covers an area of 583 acres and is found grow- 

 ing best near vankas on light sandy soil. In the 

 Ahir taluk the extent covered by the plant is 12 

 acres, a part of which is situated in the limits of the 

 village of Hollalagundi and a part in the village of 

 Nagarur. In this taluk the soil is nearly aU regada 

 on which account I suspect the area on which the 

 date is found growing is so small. In the Hosi)et 

 taluk, in the villages of Chilakanhatti and Autapur, 

 the growth of the plant is pretty thick, elsewhere 

 in the few other villages where it exists it is found 

 scattered. In this taluk also the plant is found 

 growing near venkas in mussabu soil; extent 37^ 

 acres." 



" RaijoAnirj. — In this taluk near the villages of 

 Kottapalli and Thalakerra the growth is pretty thick, 

 but elsewhere scattered. The soil is mussabu, and 

 the area over which the plant is found growing is 

 928 acres. In the Harpanahalli taluk the plant is 

 found growing thickly in Yeddahalli, Tellagi, Ragi- 

 mosalarada and Adavihalli villages and in a few 

 others scattered. The extent on which the plan 

 is found growing is 100 acres. In the Hadagall 

 taluk the extent over which the plant is found growing 

 is 38 acres. In this taluk also it is foimd growing 

 best in mussabu soil alongside vankas. In Kudligi 

 the plant covers an area of 1,295 acres and is found 

 growing in sandy saline soil near vankas. In the 

 Adoni taluk the plant appears to have spread a 

 good deal, as the area on which it is found growing 

 is 16,000 acres or five times as much as the total 

 area of the remaining seven taluks. The soil on 

 which it is found growing is a light reddish sand 

 impregnated with salts near vankas. From the fore' 

 going remarks it will be observed tjja^ tbe babitft^ 



