in.] PALMACEM. 303 



The useful products of this princely Family are so in- 

 finitely numerous that a few only of the more important, 

 afforded by Indian species, can be referred to here. 



The wood of several species is used in building and other 

 constructions. The hard outer portion of the trunk is 

 exported to Europe for walking-sticks and umbrellas. 

 Canes or Rattans, the flexible stems of species of Calamus^ 

 are also largely exported from the Malay peninsula, for use 

 in seating chairs, &c. The pith-like tissue of the inside of 

 the trunk of Sagus, growing in the Archipelago, affords 

 abundant farinaceous matter, from which sago is prepared 

 for home use and exportation. The saccharine juice of 

 species of Fhcenix, Borassus, Caryota. and other genera, is 

 collected and fermented as palm-wine, distilled for arrack, 

 or boiled down for sugar. 



Of the leaves numerous applications are made. Strips 

 are worked up into baskets, and punkahs are made of the 

 large fan-leaves of the Palmyra (Borassus). Books are 

 made of strips of the leaves of the Palmyra and Talipot 

 {Corypha) Palms. 



The Cocoa-nut, collected as food and for the sake of its 

 excellent oil, and the astringent seeds, with ruminated albu- 

 men, of the Betel {Areca Catechu)^ universally chewed in 

 tropical Asia, are the most important Indian fruit- products 

 of the Family. The resin called Dragon's-blood is prir.ci- 

 pally obtained from a species of Calamus. 



Palms are almost exclusively tropical, abounding in the 

 hot and humid parts of Asia and South America. The 

 species are proportionately less numerous in Africa, though 

 on the western coast of that continent grows one of the 

 most useful members of the group, — the Oil Palm (Ela'is), 

 The oil obtained from the fruit is largely consumed in 

 England in the manufacture of soap and candles. The 



