516 PALM^. 



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• Description. — The cocoa palm, -wlucli has now hecn 



introduced into all tropical countries, grows to a height of 70 

 or 80 feet, and has at the apex a tuft of leaves which are 

 twelve feet or more in length and have numerous narrow rigid 

 leaflets. The spathe, from which toddy is obtained, when un- 

 disturbed produces numerous yellowish-white flowers succeeded 

 by the fruit, only a small proportion of which come to maturity 

 in about twelve months from the time of flowering. The imma- 

 ture fruit contains a clear sweet fluid, which gradually dries up 

 as the nut ripens. The kernel which lines the interior of the shell, 

 after the nuts have been kept for some time, dries up and sepa- 

 rates from it, and is then called Mopra ; from it is obtained by hot 

 pressure or by boiling in water the cocoanut oil of commerce, 

 which has a mild, bland taste, a pale yellow colour, and peculiar 

 odour. In hot climates it remains fluid, but when exposed to 

 cold, it becomes of a butyraccous consistence and white colour. 

 Its melting point varies between 22° and 30°C ; the cold 

 pressed oil melts at 20°C. or less ; the fused, thin, transparent 

 yellowish oil congeals between 1 8° and 12''C. After having 

 been heated it remains liquid for several days. The oil is 

 readily saponified at a low temperature, the soap being white, 

 hard, and capable of uniting with much water. 



Chemical composition.—FTesh cocoanut kernel contains water 

 46-64, nitrogenous substances 5-49, fat 35'93, non-nitrogenous 

 extract 8-06, lignin 2-91, ash 0-97 per cent, and when dried 

 yields nitrogen 1-65 and nitrogen free extract 67-33 per cent. 

 {ITomg in EammerhacJier Landic, Versuchssk. Bd. 13, s. 243.) 

 Palm sugar examined by P. Horsin Deon (1879) yielded water 

 1-86, cane sugar 87-97, inverted sugar 9'65, other substances 

 0-50 per cent., and when dried 89-64 per cent, of cane sugar. 

 The other organic substances consisted of 1-71 per cent, reduci- 

 ble sugar, 4-88 gum, and 3-06 mannite and fat. {Kdmf/, 

 JVa/irungs-mitteU.) 



The milk of ripe and unripe cocoanuts has been analysed by 

 h. L. van Slyke. The weight of milk from unripe nuts varied 



Irom 230-O to 383-7 grams, and in a ripe nut only 109-G grams. 



