USES OF PALM PRODUCTS 245 
for the “pingga’’, or shoulder-pole, of the.Chinese and Filipino 
pack carriers. 
Caulking. Soft fibers obtained from Avrenga pinnata (sugar 
palm), Caryota spp., and the coconut are used for caulking boats. 
Chairs. The whole stems of the rattan palms are used in 
making frames of chairs and the split stems for the bottoms 
and backs of the so-called cane-seat chairs. See Rattans. 
Charcoal. The shells of the coconut furnish a high grade of 
charcoal extensively used in the past European war for gas- 
masks. 
Cordage. See Fibers. 
Dye. The fruits of Areca catechu (betel palm) are sometimes 
used for dyeing black and red shades. 
Fertilizer. The kernels of the coconut after having the oil ex- 
tracted are used as fertilizer. 
Fibers. Fibers from the coconut husks are used for mats. 
Nipa fibers are employed in tying bundles of rice and sewing 
shingles. Caryota spp. and Arenga pinnata (sugar palm) pro- 
duce a fiber used in caulking boats and as tinder. Fibers from 
the leaves, from the cortex of the petioles and from the interior 
of the petioles of Corypha elata (buri) are used for weaving 
fine hats. A very fine kind of thatching is made from the fibers 
at the base of the leaves of Arenga pinnata. The fibro-vascular 
bundles of buri petioles are frequently used in making rope, 
as are also the Arenga pinnata fibers (cabo negro). Rattans 
are used, twisted two or three together, for logging and towing 
cables and for tying logs into rafts. 
Fish Traps. Rattan palms are extensively used in making fish 
traps. See Rattans. 
Fishing rods. The hard outer wood of Livistona spp. is ex- 
tremely resilient and therefore makes an excellent material for 
fishing rods. 
Floors. The hard outer wood of Livistona spp. (anahau), On- 
cosperma spp. (anibong), the coconut palm, and perhaps some 
other genera, is split into strips from 5 to 10 cm. wide and used 
for flooring. 
Food. The coconut is the most valuable palm from the stand- 
point of food. Both the mature and immature fruits are va- 
riously thus employed. The oil pressed from the mature fruits 
is used as food, for cooking, and as a substitute for butter and 
lard. The kernels from which the oil has been pressed are 
used as food for stock. The young seeds of Nipa, Corypha elata 
(buri), and Arenga pinnata (sugar palm) are employed as food, 
chiefly in some form of sweetmeat. The seeds of some species 
